Naples Reimagines Largo Maradona: A Public-Private Initiative to Enhance Iconic Site
Naples, January 29 – The Naples City Council has greenlit a significant public-private project aimed at revitalizing Largo Maradona, a renowned site in the city’s Spanish Quarters that has become a secular shrine to football legend Diego Armando Maradona. The initiative seeks to bring order and improved urban decorum to one of Naples’ most visited locations, ensuring a better experience for the thousands of tourists and residents who frequent the area daily.
The project, proposed by Deputy Mayor Laura Lieto, focuses on the comprehensive redevelopment of an approximately 197-square-meter open area situated at the corner of Via Emanuele De Deo and Vico Concordia. This transformation comes after weeks of discussions and protests that saw the site temporarily closed to the public, prompting Mayor Gaetano Manfredi to engage with local merchants and the project’s originators.
Key Elements of the Redevelopment Project
The approved plan outlines several crucial interventions:
- New Paving: Installation of uniform lava stone paving to overcome architectural barriers and improve accessibility.
- Urban Furniture: Addition of benches, planters, shaded pergolas, and removable kiosks.
- Restoration Work: Repair and restoration of perimeter walls and the historic gate.
- New Lighting System: Implementation of an updated lighting infrastructure to enhance safety and aesthetics.
The project emphasizes a public-use framework, despite its private initiative origins. The agreement stipulates free and open access for all citizens throughout the day. Furthermore, the management and maintenance of the area, including cleaning, custody, and utilities, will be entirely the responsibility of the private proponents, incurring no costs for the Municipal Administration. This ensures perpetual public use, akin to city parks, providing a new social hub for the neighborhood.
Official Endorsements and Community Impact
The City Council confirmed that the proposal received favorable opinions from the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape, as well as all relevant municipal technical services. Upon completion of the works, Municipalità 2 will oversee compliance with the convention’s obligations and assist in defining social and cultural activities to be hosted in the space.
Mayor Gaetano Manfredi commented on the initiative, stating, “With this resolution, we bring order to a place that has become iconic. The redevelopment of Largo Maradona is not just an urban act, but a sign of attention to the livability of the Spanish Quarters. We are transforming a private area into a curated and safe collective space, where the popular identity of Naples meets modern and respectful urban management.”
Deputy Mayor Lieto added, “This intervention represents a virtuous model of public-private collaboration. Through the convention instrument, we are recovering an urban void that remained unresolved for decades, equipping it with furniture, shaded areas, and total accessibility. It is a fundamental piece of our strategy for Naples: regenerating the micro-spaces of the historic center to improve the daily quality of life for residents.”
Teresa Armato, Councillor for Tourism, highlighted the project’s importance for the city’s tourism sector: “Largo Maradona is now a mandatory stop for thousands of tourists from all over the world. It was essential to intervene to manage visitor flows harmoniously and offer a welcome worthy of this place’s international fame. With these new facilities, the ‘piazzetta’ will become an even more welcoming calling card, capable of reconciling sporting devotion with respect for the territory and its traditions.”
Chamber of Commerce’s Role and Future Outlook
Ciro Fiola, President of the Chamber of Commerce, expressed satisfaction with the resolution, acknowledging the Chamber’s mediation in guiding the administrative processes. “Thanks to the mediation of the Chamber of Commerce, which from the outset took on the task of suggesting administrative paths, the Largo Maradona affair is moving towards a definitive solution,” Fiola stated. “In the spirit of a fruitful institutional understanding, the Municipality of Naples has approved an important resolution that defines the future of that area and allows operators to reorganize themselves, assuming all the characteristics to act within the framework of legality and respect for the rules. An approach, that oriented towards the redevelopment of an area that will be for public use but completely managed by private individuals, which we had suggested and which has been accepted. Also in this second phase, the Chamber of Commerce will be available to provide administrative assistance to businesses.”
The project is expected to significantly enhance the visitor experience at Largo Maradona, solidifying its status as a cultural and historical landmark while ensuring its sustainable integration into the urban fabric of Naples.
Source: https://napoli.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/26_gennaio_29/napoli-si-mette-in-ordine-a-largo-maradona-ecco-come-il-comune-trasformera-uno-dei-luoghi-piu-visitati-413469fc-22d4-4464-bbe9-7e08f5a58xlk.shtml
