“THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MARIBOR”
INTEGRATED SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT (ISUD) MUNICIPALITY OF MARIBOR
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Maribor, November 2016
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. DESCRIPTION OF URBAN CONTEXT ...... 3 1.1. General description of the city of Maribor ...... 3 1.2. Description of the intervention area ...... 3 1.3. Intervention model ...... 5 2. STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS FOR THE AREAS OF INTERVENTION AND THE CITY OF MARIBOR ...... 6 2.1. Strengths of the city...... 6 2.2. Weaknesses and problems...... 6 2.3 Opportunities and challenges ...... 7 2.4. Threats ...... 7 2.5. Issues targeted by the implementation plan ...... 7 3. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ...... 8 3.1 Management and governing of the strategy ...... 8 3.2 Proposed projects and activities ...... 8 3.2.1 Projects for urban regeneration and renewal (16,25 Mio €) ...... 9 3.2.2 Sustainable mobility projects (2,25 Mio €) ...... 10 3.2.3 Projects for raising energy efficiency (1,4 Mio €) ...... 11 3.2.4 Other projects not financed by the ITI fund ...... 11
Figure 1: Aerial photo of Maribor.
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1. DESCRIPTION OF URBAN CONTEXT
1.1. General description of the city of Maribor Maribor is the second biggest city in Slovenia. It is located in the region of Styria, only 15 km away from the state border with Austria and 127 km from Slovenian capital, the city of Ljubljana. Maribor has per current statistical data (2016) 95.589 inhabitants that are living on 40,980 m2. The breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991 and subsequent collapse of heavy industry that was at the time the flagship of national and regional economy, resulted in heavy economic, social and infrastructural damage for the city of Maribor. There was a brief period of upturn at the turn of millennium but the economic crisis of 2009 further derailed development. Despite harsh times Maribor grew into metropolitan city and is one of cultural and economic centres of Slovenia.
Figure 2: Location of Maribor and the map of city districts
Maribor is also one of major education centres of Slovenia. Apart from numerous primary and secondary public and private schools, libraries and educational centres, it is also a city with the national university (University of Maribor), University library (UKM) and University Medical Centre (UKC).
In addition to rich historic heritage1 that is evident in numerous churches, monuments, museums and other sites, Maribor is also known for being the place of the world’s oldest vine. It has been growing for over 400 years on Lent, the riverbank of the Drava river.
Lent is also a major site for one of the biggest music and cultural festival in this part of Europe, namely the Lent Festival which contributes to diverse cultural life in the city. In short, Maribor is a lively European city and titles like Alpine city of the year 2000, European Capital of Culture (2012) and European Youth Capital (2013) support this ambition.
1.2. Description of the intervention area The area of the intervention covers the so called urban area of the city, with following characteristics: Area of the interventions 40.648.278 m² Population in the intervention area 81.165
1 Maribor received the city status in 1254.
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Population density within the area of 1.996,78 interventions Number of city districts 10 Extent of areas of cultural heritage 8.709.826 m² Protected natural areas within the area of 4.982.487 m² interventions Parks within the area of interventions 431.712 m² (1,06 %) Green areas within the area of interventions 11.035.230 m² (27,15 %) Urban forests within the area of interventions 5.782.812 m² (14,23 %)
Figure 3: statistical data for the ISUD intervention area.
Diverse facts from the analytical part of the ISUDS: Economic power: average income per capita | 82% average SLO | 67% average EU, the budget of the Municipality of Maribor for 2016 | 89,3 Mio €, concentration of shopping malls | 373 m²/resident, unemployment rate in 2015 | 17,5% (12,3% state average). Housing: number of public housing units | 2.890 flats | 8,35% of total housing units, vacant new flats (built after 2005, stat. from 2012) | 1235 | 14,1 % of all empty flats. Access to green areas and recreational areas: residents in 400m radius to recreational areas | 67.275 | 82,89%, residents in 400m radius to parks | 34.378 | 42,36%, residents in 100m radius to biking lanes | 53.906 | 66,42%. Education: Maribor is the second university city of Slovenia, but it is only on 5 place in the education level of its residents. Demographics: worst residents age structure among larger Slovenian municipalities | lowest share of under 14-year-olds |highest share in 65+ year-olds | long term negative trend. In last 16 years total number of residents fell approx. 1% annually.
Figure 4: Partial analysis of vacant stores number on two main commercial streets in the old city center (MiZa, 2014).
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1.3. Intervention model Intervention model is based on a vision of an integrated spatial-economic-social system focusing on sustainability and cooperation within the urban space of the city. The vision “The Opportunity for Maribor, building inclusive and circular community” is based on extensive analysis of local environment and on numerous examples of good practices. Its main goal is to create new and to use existing resources more efficiently, at the same time inviting all individuals and stakeholders to actively participate in shaping the urban space.
The intervention plan is rests on 5 pillars, based on identified goals of the ISUDS:
1. Self-sufficient city - is focusing on activation of the local social and economic capital aiming to establish systems of self-sufficiency, management of urban poverty, demographic erosion and social inclusion, to improve the living standard and to restore positive identity of the city;
2. Sustainable mobility - is based on the need for transformation of the existing systems of public transport and integration with other forms of mobility (e.g. walking and cycling), formation of efficient, attractive, inclusive and modern public transportation system for the city;
3. New sustainable city management - with the goal of capacity-building, achieving efficient management and facilitating cooperation with stakeholders in the city;
4. Urban renewal - focusing on renewal of public urban space and on establishing the city as the regional cultural and urban center; and
5. Activation of green spaces - with the main aim in preserving, interconnecting and further developing natural spaces of the city. Pillars: Priorities: Main goals = 34 measures: Self-sufficient activation of local * activation of local resources and economy social and economic * development of self-sufficiency Maribor * temporary use of degraded areas potential * development of urban gardens and bee-hives * management of urban poverty * intergenerational cooperation * management of demographic erosion and ghettoization * support to health and healthy food * development of distinct identities of city districts Mobile modern system of * connecting the city with railroad infrastructure and the airport public transport, * development of cycling infrastructure Maribor * development of the city of »short-paths« activation of * development of attractive public transport mobility * development of mobility accessible to vulnerable groups Reorganized efficient of * restructuring financial and organizational aspects of city management management of the * reorganization of city districts Maribor * application of new management models city * development of cooperation networks (EU, SLO) * development of unified information and digitalization * cooperation with University and NGOs Urban establishment of * establishing the office for urban renewal city as a regional * reorganization of public space Maribor * activation of inhabitants cultural and urban * further development of tourism (as an interconnecting activity within the city) center * support to culture as an instrument of urban revitalization * support to eco- and energy- efficient city infrastructure Green development of * reorganization of green belt of the city green resources of * integration of river and The Isle of Maribor Maribor * reorganization of linear parks and city forests the city * support to green roofs, recycling and waste separation * reorganization of parking spaces with traditional local characteristics (e.g. tree lines)
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* recognition of water as a quality and potential (e.g. city without plastic water bottles) * return of green public space (e.g. city without excessive marketing and jumbo- posters in public spaces) * upgrade of standards of open spaces Table 1: five pillars with 34 measures (goals).
2. STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS FOR THE AREAS OF INTERVENTION AND THE CITY OF MARIBOR
Extensive sectorial analyses were conducted during the process of the strategy drafting. SWOT analysis was constructed with additional step of connecting 34 measures with defined elements of the SWOT.
2.1. Strengths of the city. • good geostrategic position of the city, • good accessibility within the city (short commuting distances ideal for biking, recreation infrastructure and other natural assets), • direct contact with different geographical units (vicinity of Alps, Dravsko polje (flatlands) and other important geographical features), • relatively low ecological stress (i.e. low noise emissions, air pollution, clean water), • relatively efficient infrastructural network (transportation, sport, healthcare, education and social service), • access to public university, network of libraries and cultural institutions, • preserved spatial zones for industry, manufacture and service sector along with preserved infrastructure and relative vicinity to other similar zones (Graz, Celje, Zagreb).
2.2. Weaknesses and problems. • absence of properly organised city districts as socio-spatial units within the organizational structure of the city, • high unemployment, • economic decline of the historic city center along with the rise of newly build unsustainable shopping malls, • degradation of the historical heritage within the city center and its riverbanks, • problem of the dispersed building model of the city, costly management of utility infrastructure, • undeveloped or unconnected tourism infrastructure and absent city branding, • absence of sustainable waste management, • inefficient and short term planning of urban space and public infrastructure, • inactive real-estate market (high share in housing ownership, low number of rentals)
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• energy inefficiency of apartments and office buildings, • low use of railroad infrastructure.
2.3 Opportunities and challenges Field research and data analysis showed following opportunities:
• revitalization of degraded areas with the help of the new spatial programmes, • reactivation of the inherited industrial infrastructure, • improvement in walking and cycling infrastructure and activation of the river traffic and railroad integration, • further development of green and ecological city concept impacting the social, spatial and economic revitalisation of the city and redirection to local self- sufficiency, • optimising the size and the cost of municipal institutions, public organizations and utility companies, • development of innovative and modern system of public transport, • reconstruction of apartments, offices and public buildings into energy efficient buildings, • development of housing cooperatives.
2.4. Threats Within the analysis following developments were recognized as threats:
• influence of global changes, environmental impact on local economy and social trends, • impact of negative demographic trends and social and economic potentials of the city, • negative impact of brain drain, caused by migration of qualified young people abroad, • further centralisation of the Slovenian state, • political instability of the local government.
2.5. Issues targeted by the implementation plan Broad range of issues are targeted by the strategy and its 34 measures. To cover all measures of the strategy different financial instruments should be considered and a longer-term project pipeline should be defined. Many addressed activities have already been initiated by civil initiatives, business sector or NGO-s, but there is a need for them to be further developed to achieve the expected impact on the urban regeneration.
Expected results of the ISUD implementation include: economic upturn, especially in the sector of tourism and services sector, urban regeneration of historic city center, positive impact on social
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3. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
3.1 Management and governing of the strategy The Strategic council for implementation of ISUDS will be constituted with the task of supporting implementation of the strategy. The Strategic council will consist of experts coming from the main stakeholder groups, such as city administration, university, NGO-s and city council to ensure involvement of interest groups and communities and thus supporting horizontal integration and project participation. To further ensure high level of public involvement additional project with separate budget will be implemented, supporting resident participation and additional activities parallel to urban regeneration projects and investments.
Measurable impact targets for each project are to be predefined, tracked and reported by the Strategic council.
Prepared projects will be executed by following local authorities:
(1) Projects dealing with urban regeneration and other proposed projects will be executed by the municipality’s Project office. (2) Sustainable mobility projects will be executed by the Office for utility, transport and spatial planning. (3) Projects for raising energy efficiency of public and publicly owned buildings will be executed by the public inter-municipal Housing Fund Maribor.
3.2 Proposed projects and activities As stated 3 main groups of projects and activities were prepared, based on specific impact areas: (1) projects for urban regeneration and renewal, (2) sustainable mobility projects and (3) project for raising energy efficiency of public and publicly owned buildings.
Each project covers several of 34 measures from one or more predefined pillars and is based on specific impact area / location. With priority being projects creating permanent new employments in business sector, raise quality of natural and urban living environment and projects that improve business environment.
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3.2.1 Projects for urban regeneration and renewal (16,25 Mio €)
Project name Description Activities Total cost UR.1 KOROŠKA Revitalisation of Koroška street, the oldest 2017-2019 3.250.000 € STREET street in the city center of Maribor (ITI)
Figure 5: architectural competition, MX-SI studio, 2010.
UR.2 VOJAŠNIŠKI TRG Completion of the ongoing project 2017-2019 2.200.000 € (THE ARMY for the revitalisation of the (ITI) SQUARE) Franciscan Monastery area – the oldest square in Maribor's historic city center
Figure 6: Vojašniški square, work in progress.
UR.4 LENT RIVER Urban renewal of 3 sectors of historic river 2017-2019 4.900.000 € BANKS banks area, currently lacking infrastructure +2.300.000 € for tourism and leisure activities, suffering +690.000 € under the excessive car traffic. (ITI)
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Figure 7: Lent and the river Drava banks in Maribor.
UR.8 CITY PARK RENEWAL Restoration and improvements in 2017-2019 1.015.000 € PROJECT the main urban park facility. (ITI)
Figure 8: the main promenade in the city park.
UR.10 RECREATIONAL PARK A linear park following an existing 2017-2019 1.371.185 € RADVANJSKI POTOK path along a brook in high (ITI) population density area of the city. UR.11 OPEN OFFICES FOR Project supporting urban renewal 2017-2019 490.000 € URBAN RENEWAL actions with dialogue, social (ITI) activities, information sharing, activation of public and local business.
3.2.2 Sustainable mobility projects (2,25 Mio €)
UR.12 DRAVA BIKE PATH Tourist bike trail connecting 18 2017-2018 650.000 € municipalities in Slovenia – the (ITI) part crossing the city UR.13 BIKE AND Paths connecting all city districts 2017-2019 950.000 € WALKWAYS (ITI) UR.14 PARK+BIKE POINTS Park and bike (or ride) points on 2017-2019 650.000 € the main city motorways (ITI)
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3.2.3 Projects for raising energy efficiency (1,4 Mio €)
UR.23 RAISING ENERGY Renewal of 28 municipality owned 2017-2019 1.400.000 € EFFICIENCY flats in the old city center. (ITI)
3.2.4 Other projects not financed by the ITI fund
UR.16 SELF-SUFFICIENCY Urban gardening, food distribution, 2017-2019 790.000 € OF THE CITY intergenerational activities, urban poverty elimination and other supporting activities. UR.17 PUBLIC TRANSPORT Promoting use of public transport 2017-2019 300.000 € PROMOTION and multi modal mobility.
(more projects currently in development)
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