Aspects of Urban Regeneration in Turkey The Zeytinburnu Project

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Spatial and Physical AspectsEconomics and FinanceBuilding Development PreferencesA Regeneration Model Based on LocalPartnershipsAn outlying feature of the model describedhere is the role of Municipality in activatingand enabling local communities to startpartnerships for the redevelopment andmanagement of Super-blocks (of about 1000dwellings). Programs will be conductedto attract and inform households about theobligations, advantages and procedures ofparticipation. Such campaigns will employas many residents from the area as possible.Special programs will be organised fora small group of authentically poor andhandicapped households. The nature of thisparticipation is not any different from thewidely practiced ‘flat-ownership’ procedures.Households will undertake individual creditdebt programs organised by the Partnershipand the Municipality, in return for rights toredeveloped property and a bundle of otherrights.Redevelopment and Physical DesignOptionsMany alternative site plans and urbandesigns could be devised when a scope forcomprehensive renewal arises as propertyis unified through Community Partnerships.The investigation here considered a densely(3.5) packed area (plot coverage 0.80), andquestioned if methods are available forredevelopment, and if densities could befurther increased to fulfil specific objectives:as protecting the tenants and avoidinggentrification in the area, minimizingrunning costs, accommodating all carsunderground, or compensating some ratio ofthe debt programmes. Even in such packedareas it is observed that 15-20% increase inbuilding densities are feasible due to spaceeconomies of unification without concessionsfrom urban space standards. A second setof considerations dealt with the shapingof buildings. Tunnel-frame construction,symmetrical designs, lowering centre ofgravity, pyramidal sections in monolithicbodies with high rates of concrete curtainwalls in either axes avoiding lifts werepreferred for higher safety and relativelylower construction costs. Such preferencesalso promise alternative aesthetics, designsolutions and some capacity to change urbanidentity in the city. This unification promisesa rewarding area of professional practice forarchitects and urban designers.Economics and Finances of RegenerationTwo voluntary constraints are imposed here.The operation is a self-financing project, andno incidental external resources are deemedessential for regeneration. If such resources areavailable, these would only act as a bonus tomake regeneration more attractive. Secondly,the deal will offer no building area in returnfor the services of a developer, but a normalrate of profit, contrary to the conventions inTurkey. This is to avoid gentrification. Onthe other hand, two financial and proceduralburdens often confronted in regenerationprojects are avoided here. No ‘compulsorypurchase’ is necessary since this is a voluntaryproperty development partnership, andan extensively-practiced easement in theconstruction of single blocks of flats willsuffice. Secondly, the task of ‘current valuesassessments’ is avoided. The operation herewill only have to take into account the existingdeed shares and recalculate them in terms ofnew totals. This will be the basis for newrights subject to minor corrections accordingto the ‘as built’.The total costs of development is to includethe developers’ average profit rates anddisturbance costs of the residents. These will bemet by the individual credit debt programmes.It is most likely therefore that costs oftemporary accommodation will be minimized,individuals exploiting their own means to theend. The mass removal of residents and oftheir household items could well be organisedby the Municipality to reduce such costs to aminimum by competitive tender. Yet it is theorganizational capacities and the renderingof superior professional conduct that themodel demands. Under the circumstances, anindividual debt programme of 20 years for a100m 2 dwelling unit will imply a payment of420 YTL/month. Varying sizes in dwellingsallows a range of monthly payments (300-550YTL). These could be described as rentalpayments for housing. About one third ofthis amount is usually paid by the owner-Mixed-use Layout(Housing, workshops, commercial,services)
Social Preferences Structuringoccupiers in terms of running costs, which arenullified in the renewed property. If anotherone third of such costs were compensated bypublic resources, the total resources requiredfor activating the whole residential stock inIstanbul would be about twice the amountTurkey has very recently volunteered to raisefor the Tsunami victims. This would havereduced the individual payments to the orderof 150-200 YTL/month.In macro-economic terms, the greatestpart of the capital engaged in regenerationaccording to this model would have a verylow opportunity cost. Yet on the other hand,the triggering of the construction industry,and therefore the contribution to the overalleconomy and labour markets are immense.Social PoliciesRegeneration in Zeytinburnu is not confinedto operations of physical redevelopment,but a social process representing atransformation into authorised and registeredconduct. Changes are to occur not only inproperty ownership but also in business,employment, and in many aspects of life.Moving into a registered economy requirescareful monitoring. Smooth change willnecessitate economic sweeteners, businessand property tax exemptions, concessionsfor intermediary periods, etc. This is a newsocialisation process, and a move to higherlevel organisational structures. Social projectsof various types have to complement theComprehensive Regeneration process:Compensations for tenants oustedfrom Zeytinburnu, reimbursements ofrentals covered for three years, sharedbetween the Partnership involved and theMunicipalityA system of training and accreditation ofdevelopers, builders, building componentsand materials providers and workers ofdifferent categories, with priority to localresident labourTraining courses in EQ mitigationmeasures and emergency skillsTraining courses in the tourism servicessector for Zeytinburnu residentsProjects to promote employmentvariability and job enhancementTraining of Municipal personnel forthe new management tasks involved inregeneration projects; New databaseformation and managementSchedule of annual concessions fromproperty taxes and other municipalburdens for business enterprisesemploying local labourTax exemptions and other subsidies tolocal Partnerships that start constructionalactivities in 3 yearsIssuing Municipal bonds for the taxincomes of 2010-15, etc. with accesspriorities to local PartnershipsMicro-financing of households intendingto operate workshops and small businessSocial agreement that each localcommunity Partnership unit is representedin the Municipal Council, to ensure also atleast 1/3 in each genderWHY WILL RESIDENTS FAVOUR THE PARTNERSHIP MODEL?Aspirations for living in an EQ-safe environment with prestigious urbanstandardsRelief from the unauthorised state and its pending penaltiesValue increases in property held, up to 3-4 times of present valueExtra building area to existing (collective ownership and titles to car-parks,storage, workshops, rental dwellings)All maintenance and running costs covered by collective income toPartnershipsFamiliar democratic and powerful management and representation principles of‘flat-ownership’ applyCommunity income flow from shares in local investments, Urban Spine, andConsortiumsLow-interest long-term credits obtained through Municipal intermediaryactionProject preparation and building procedures carried out at lower costs and inshorter periods, exempted from administrative costsSupervision of constructional work under municipal responsibility at lowercostsExemptions from Bank and Insurance taxes and costsHouse-moving and disturbance costs accounted within the total costsTemporary exemptions from property taxes, and low rates for periods extendingup to ten yearsObligatory EQ Taxation at lower rates when collectively paid by thePartnershipTemporary exemptions from taxes concerning purchases and sales, exchange,and inheritance of propertyRights of current tenants protected by access priorities in collectively-ownedexcess stock, at former rental values for a minimum of 5 yearsOpportunities for participating in numerous social projects, financially supportedby external sources, providing options for new jobs and additional incomeWHY WILL THE RESIDENTS CONSIDER PARTNERSHIP MODEL ANIMPERATIVE?Concerns that the EQ could inflict heavy damages and loss of lifeConcerns that the Illegal State of Ownership could bring heavy penalties inthe near future as these are to be effective soon, introduced by the Penal Law(2004)Likely action of the Municipality to send notice to property owners about theRisks of the buildings and declaring it a Public NuisanceLikely action of the Metropolitan Municipality to exercise its powers to demolishthe buildingPossibility of Compulsory Purchase with extended periods of paymentMeasures and intervention tools recently introduced by the HousingAdministration Law, the Municipalities Law, and several draft lawsUrban design options are available at similar densities (from published international examples)
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Aspects of Urban Regeneration in Turkey The Zeytinburnu Project

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