Medellín’s “Fico” Gutierrez Mayoral Administration Working To Revitalize Medellín’s Classic Prado Neighborhood

Medellín’s Agency for Landscape, Heritage, and Public-Private Partnerships (APP Agency) is making progress in the conservation and revitalization of the Prado Centro neighborhood with the delivery of Casa Ángel, the first property to benefit from the instrument known as Compensation for Transfer of Building Rights.

This is the first of four properties with this status (the others are the Roncari House, the Poet House, and the Folkloric Ballet headquarters), through which the District allocates approximately $3 million USD for the restoration and adaptation of spaces, ensuring the preservation of the city’s architectural heritage.

“This means that the properties are given an economic benefit to be reinvested in their property, to maintain and improve the heritage property, to leverage productive projects that enhance the conservation value of the Prado neighborhood,” said Daniel Madrigal, Deputy Director of Landscape and Heritage Management at the APP Agency.

The Compensation for Transfer of Construction Rights allows for the rehabilitation of heritage assets and their use for new uses that boost the economy and cultural life of the area. This instrument, managed by the APP Agency, is granted exclusively to heritage properties in Prado Centro.

Prado Centro, Medellín’s traditional neighborhood, is revived with a new compensation scheme: Casa Ángel is the first to receive it. Photo credit: City of Medellín.

The process allows owners to access resources for the internal renovation of their properties, maintaining their historical and aesthetic value, while private investors transform them into economically sustainable projects. Casa Ángel, for example, will become an exclusive short-stay accommodation, opening its doors to travelers and tourists interested in the area’s cultural richness. “Casa Ángel will enter the market as a short-stay accommodation, highlighting the property as a heritage asset, without losing its essence and culture in the Prado neighborhood.

“We seek to integrate the house into a project highlighting heritage, memory, architecture, and, ultimately, the past,” said Tatiana Villegas, legal representative of Casa Ángel. Thanks to this initiative, the revitalization of the area is strengthened, benefiting owners, residents, and the entire community.

The program’s implementation is possible thanks to the collaborative work between the APP Agency and key entities, such as the Administrative Planning Department and the Secretariats of Economic Development and Physical Infrastructure. With actions like these, the Mayor’s Office of Medellín claims to reaffirm its commitment to the conservation of its heritage and sustainable urban development, offering new opportunities for the city’s economic and social growth.

Photos courtesy: City of Medellín.