{IACP} International Association Cities and Ports - PROJECT : Valparaiso : mobilising its tourist advantages

Author: AIVP
On sale date: Tuesday, 07 October 2003
Type of document: Project
Type of activity: General Assembly
Location: America : Chili : Valparaiso
Language: English, French, Spanish

For numerous years the inhabitants of Valparaiso have had to look at the sea from the hills surrounding the bay. The port of Valparaiso has recently started work on a waterfront project that will give back to the city, near to the centre, nearly 20 hectares of coastal land thus also providing an urban impetus to this district.

The search for a greater efficiency in the handling of goods transiting through the port of Valparaiso, the construction of a new modern inland connection to the port areas and the installation, in the near future, of a logistics park, have enabled nearly 20 hectares of land giving on to the seafront to be freed and to be utilised for this project.

A first phase of the project was launched in May 2002 with the transformation of the Barón Quay into a public promenade, a suitable place to hold large open air events. (see photo hereunder)

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©Empresa Portuaria Valparaíso

In July 2003, the historic centre of the city was one of the three Chilean sites to be inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage list. Valparaiso, renowned as the jewel of the Pacific, is thus comforted in its role as a tourist centre, a vocation that is also proved by its ever growing presence in the cruise market.

In this context, the port authorities have engaged in a consultation process with the numerous private and public players, but also with the population, in order to establish the main guidelines and strategic orientations for the project :

- Opening out of the seafront to the city;
- Preservation of the maritime history;
- Rehabilitation of the infrastructures;
- The Sea-Port-City relationship

For the main part, the project consists in the redefinition and transformation of the areas liberated in the Barón sector of the Port of Valparaiso. Thus a new district will be developed that will integrate with the historic district of the Almendral.
Planned as a building complex development project with a tourist vocation, it will include the construction of huge public spaces, hotel accommodation (currently the city does not have a five-star hotel), an aquarium (the first in Chile), a yacht harbour, a marine museum, a cultural centre, an area for festivities and events, a cruise terminal (there is already one in this district of the port), pubs, restaurants, housing accommodation and offices.

The present schedule for the project is as follows :

The present schedule for the project is as follows :
1st half of 2004 : Modification of the plan defining building regulations and utilisation of land plots
2nd half of 2004 : Procedures of calls for tenders (calls for investment and private operators)
1st half of 2005 : Awarding of Contracts

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Simulated projection of the concerned area © Empresa Portuaria Valparaiso

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Source:
Empresa Portuaria Valparaiso, Chile
http://www.portvalparaiso.cl

Complementary information
http://www.portvalparaiso.cl/contenido/contacto/contacto_borde_costero.asp