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Valid for four years, the new CUR redefines heights and uses in avenues and passages, seeking to balance neighborhood identity and urban development
The new Urban Development Code (CUR) is expected to be in force for four years and seeks to strengthen the neighbourhood identity of the City of Buenos Aires. This modification, approved by the Buenos Aires Legislature this morning, has the support of the Government of Jorge Macri and establishes new rules for the construction of housing in the district.
In an extensive session that also included the discussion of the 2025 Budget, this regulation was approved, which prioritizes preserving the character of Buenos Aires neighborhoods. "The Legislature has just approved a key regulation for building in the City, a commitment I made to protect the identity of the neighborhoods, foster urban balance and promote the development of the south," Macri said.
He also said that the CUR will allow for prioritizing large developments on main avenues while preserving the appearance of smaller streets.
The measures seek to balance urban development and improve quality of life: more green spaces, height limits to preserve neighborhood identity, and guidelines to integrate popular neighborhoods with adequate infrastructure.
The final text will be published in the Official Gazette of the City in a few days and is expected to come into force from then on.
Main changes and their impact
The new version of the CUR includes significant changes with respect to the current regulations. Among the highlighted measures are:
Additional Construction Capacity (CAC): A system that encourages investment in the south of the city. Developers who build in areas known as "metro emitters," such as La Boca, Pompeya-Parque Patricios, Constitución, Barracas, Villa Lugano, and the Olympic Village, will be able to transfer that construction capacity to denser corridors in the north, such as sections of Córdoba, Juan B. Justo, Rivadavia, Cabildo, and Alberdi avenues.
«The CAC is a tool to balance the construction development between the north and south of the city. It works like this: developers who build in areas in the south, called metro emitters, receive permits to build more square meters in areas in the north, known as «metro receivers», which have greater density and real estate value. This encourages investments in the south while controlling growth in other areas,» explained Mariana Lucángeli, the architect and real estate expert.
Promotion of green spaces: Owners of vacant lots or single-story parking lots will be able to transfer them to the government to convert them into plazas and parks. This measure will benefit neighborhoods such as San Nicolás, Balvanera and San Telmo, increasing the available green areas.
Lucángeli added: “The modification of the CUR has the potential to revitalize certain areas, increasing their visual appeal and raising the value of both new and existing homes.”
Heritage enhancement: Benefits are provided for those who restore listed buildings, allowing for technological and structural improvements in deteriorated historic buildings.
In total, there are 4,300 buildings that now have definitive heritage protection, including: Among the notable buildings are the Torre del Parque de la Ciudad, the Basilica of San José de Flores, the Palacio Libertad, the arch of the Oscar and Juan Gálvez Racetrack, and the Mercado Spinetto. Several hospitals and train stations were also included, as well as housing complexes such as La Mansión de Flores, which are part of a list of buildings proposed to receive this status and ensure their preservation as part of the urban heritage.
Height limits in passages: In more than 400 passages, a maximum height of 9 meters is established to preserve the neighborhood character.
"The intention of this measure is to maintain the identity and scale of traditional neighborhoods, preventing tall buildings from altering the visual environment and the tranquility of these areas. By limiting the height to 9 meters in more than 400 passages, the aim is to protect the residential character and minimize the urban impact in smaller and narrower areas," said Gonzalo Bustos, from FOT Libre.
Redevelopment of popular neighborhoods: New guidelines seek to improve infrastructure and quality of life in historically neglected areas.
Heights and zoning
The CUR also redefines the maximum heights allowed in different areas, adjusting the regulations to avoid urban imbalances. In the Low Altitude Sustainability Units (USAB), the new limits are:
USAB 2: 14.60 meters, ground floor and 4 floors.
USAB 1: 12 meters, ground floor and 3 floors.
USAB 0: 9 meters, ground floor and two floors.
The regulations state that in all zones, the area where construction is permitted extends from the Official Line (OL) to the Internal Front Line. In addition, it is no longer mandatory to leave setback spaces in construction, which maximizes the use of available land.
In addition, setbacks are eliminated and construction is permitted up to the Internal Front Line, replacing the previous regulations on foundations. According to Bustos, these measures seek to unify the urban pattern and preserve the identity of the neighborhoods, while promoting controlled real estate development.
Bustos also highlighted that the zoning changes already discussed in public hearings will be maintained, along with some additional modifications. Several blocks in Núñez, Villa Urquiza and Villa Crespo, which were categorized as USAB 1, will now be moved to the new USAB 0 zoning, which will further limit the height allowed in these areas.
Then and now
Unlike the previous version, the specific areas where additional construction capacity will be generated have now been identified, including neighborhoods such as La Boca, Pompeya-Parque Patricios, Constitución, Barracas, Villa Lugano and the Olympic Village.
In parallel, it was determined that owners of vacant lots or one-story parking lots, whether covered or uncovered, can cede them to the Buenos Aires City Government to convert them into new green spaces for public use. This measure aims to increase green areas in neighborhoods such as San Nicolás, Monserrat, Balvanera, San Telmo, Almagro and Santa Rita.
Towards a more balanced development
The CUR also incorporates priority development areas in neighbourhoods such as Constitución, Flores and Nueva Pompeya, with solutions adapted to the specific needs of each area.
According to Santiago Levrio, from Alianza Urbana, this reform seeks to correct the imbalances generated by the previous code, which had standardized heights throughout the city and multiplied tall buildings in areas with low-rise houses.
The adjustment also brings back the "city center" as an absorbent green surface, a requirement that had been reduced six years ago. Levrio stressed that the new scheme allows for exceptional heights of up to 68 meters on main avenues in the north, although this could generate tensions between neighborhood demands and urban densification.
"The challenge remains to find a balance between urban development, land costs and housing needs, a challenge that the city has been facing for years," Levrio concluded. |
