Implications of Urban Law on Urban Renewal Projects in the Historical Center of Lima

Abstract

The Historic Center of Lima currently shows signs of urban deterioration as a result of the processes of exclusion and spatial segregation that have characterized the intense urban growth of the city of Lima. In the face of this urban deterioration, urban renewal processes are an instrument of transformation that acts as surgery for the recovery and reintegration of deteriorated central areas into the functioning of the current city. As a general, urban law regulates urban problems resulting from the transformation of urban lands, including the deterioration of central areas. In particular, actions in traditional central areas have regulations for the protection of cultural heritage. Therefore, the execution of the urban renewal process requires different regulatory instruments to plan and manage the renewal process, which defines its scope.  In this sense, the present research has been proposed to address the implementation process of three urban renewal projects in collective housing located in the Historic Center of Lima; "Casa de las Columnas", the "Conjunto de Vivienda La Muralla" and the "Proyecto Piloto Martinete", to identify the effectiveness of the scope of the legal framework of urban renewal, as well as the procedures of intervention in historic centers and monumental areas. Focus on the analysis of the public administration's management, execution, and control activities in the land transformation process of deteriorated traditional urban areas. The article consists of the following parts. First, some conceptual considerations on urban renewal and its relationship with urban law are presented. The next section provides an overview of the state of the regulatory framework for urban renewal in Peru, which is key to contextualize the analysis of the case studies. The third part presents the study methodology and the limitations of the study. The fourth part presents the case studies and develops the scope of the legal framework of urban renewal in the case studies. Finally, some final reflections and conclusions are presented that establish the important elements that should be considered in the legal framework of urban renewal.