Cities have taken a leading role in debates about sustainable development. Their expansion turn them into key scenarios for the analysis of global challenges.
As for the Colombian case, the country experienced an accelerated process of urbanization during the 60’s, which meant a significant increase in the population density in different cities of the country (PNUD 2011). This showed the need of making a new legal framework capable of regulating efficiently the new social demands in terms of housing and a better planning of Colombian urban centers.
In the middle of the challenges already mentioned appears the concept of Urban Renewal: a “deliberate effort of changing the urban environment through the planned and large-scaled adjustment of the existing urban areas, taking into account the present and future requirements of the city’s housing and labor” (Grebler, 1963; 13).
During the last three decades a series of laws and regulations have been established in order provide local authorities with more tools of intervention in the market of urban land. This way, the need of understanding urban development as a process where costs and benefits are distributed equally and democratically among stakeholders, has emerged as a fundamental principle.
These laws brought with them several land management tools that became key components for the implementation of urban development in Colombian cities. Tools such as Land Readjustment, Urban Actions Units, Partial Plans and others included in the Master Plans (POT) will be explained throughout this article and have become pillars of the country’s planning structure.
It is in this context that the Plan Parcial Triángulo de Fenicia emerges: a project of private initiative that promotes urban renovation in the surroundings of Los Andes University, in Bogota’s downtown. The way the formulation process has been carried out as well as the characteristics and basic goals of the project have turn it into a role model in the city. Fenicia presents three atypical characteristics: first, their promoter is neither the state nor private investors or landowners but Los Andes, a high education institution. Second, an explicit effort has been made during the formulation process in order to avoid many of the social and environmental problems identified in similar projects. This was done through inclusive, participatory and deliberative dynamics between the promoter, local authorities and landowners of the area. Third, an innovative strategy like land readjustment is applied in order to avoid gentrification phenomenon. This strategy offered alternatives to the settlers to participate as partners and main actors in the decision-making processes of the project.
The paper describes the Plan Parcial de Fenicia, highlighting its stages of negotiation and agreement among the stakeholders, its governance structure, and the managerial model in order to stand out the contributions of sustainable development in the city of Bogota. We explain how this proposal went from a model of classic urban renewal to an urban revitalization proposal. Additionally, we explore the role of the stakeholders involved, highlighting aspects such as participatory decision-making processes and social inclusion (both, topics included in the SDGs).
