Arezzo, 3 July 2024 – New construction sites are starting in the city, on one side the Giotto, on the other Santa Maria delle Grazie.
In the residential area, a square is cordoned off, a construction site is under construction. Everything is ready for the start of the works in Giotto’s agora. The roar of the trucks can be heard, but “it’s music” to the ears of the young people who have been waiting for this intervention for a long time, the one that will redevelop their square.
The start last Monday, with the month of July the Zambelli companyof Emilia Romagna, has officially started the works. Just over 1.5 million euros to give a new face to the square.
Furnishings, flooring and traffic will be completely revised thanks to the Pnrr contributions assigned to the municipal administration. Seven months to change its face. “We chose to eliminate the fountain that, over time, had become one of the many elements of degradation. In its place, new and functional furnishings will be built. Furthermore, during the entire duration of the works, no changes to traffic will be foreseen since the construction area will be entirely inside the square” explains councilor Alessandro Casi.
And then: travertine on the churchyard. A precious material that will transform the access to the church. The project includes a square with a very slight slope, divided in three “macro areas”: the churchyard, the rectangular space in the centre of the area, and the part that will represent a real connection between via Lorenzetti and viale Giotto up to the city park.
And the greenery? It will not decrease, the larger plants will be maintained, as loudly requested by some residents since the presentation of the project. While dividing the churchyard from the rest of the square there will be a flowerbed: a small green dune of 80 centimeters that will serve to divide this place of spirituality from the rest of the area. The existing flowerbeds should be recovered, as well as the rest of the greenery. The demolition of the existing walls is planned and the reconstruction of new edges, higher near the trees so as not to damage the roots.
«The proposed project hypothesis – the administrators state – establishes 1400 square meters of permeable surface between greenery and draining pavements. 11 tall trees will be planted, while the flower beds will have a total surface area of 37.5 square meters for about 110 rose bushes and about 50 evergreen bushes” explained Councilor Casi during the presentation of the project to residents with Mayor Ghinelli and Deputy Mayor Tanti.
“We were anxiously awaiting the start of the work and we can’t wait to be able to start living in the square again in a safe way” explain the residents in front of the barriers. “Lately we didn’t recognize it anymore: drug dealing, bivouacs, degradation and dirt. Enough: now we just have to wait”. “The work on the roundabout at Santa Maria delle Grazie will begin next week, or at most in two weeks, and will last until the end of the year”, communicates councilor Alessandro Casi. A new construction site, therefore, at a key junction for traffic entering and exiting the city.
An investment of approximately six hundred thousand euros, the traffic light connecting the axis of Viale Mecenate with the one formed by Leonardo da Vinci Avenue and via Benedetto da Maiano, in its place a roundabout. Streamlining of car traffic yes, but also attention to pedestrians. In fact, three pedestrian crossings will be built, illuminated by two LED light points each, which will join another ten new light points. Furthermore, on the lamppost that will be placed on the side of via Leonardo da Vinci a video surveillance camera will be installed that will film the entire area of the roundabout.
