In the first stage of this effort, IULIUS relocated the Carbochim factory, the largest producer of professional abrasives in Romania, to an area suitable for industrial production and invested 7 million euros for the optimization and efficiency of the activity, which has not been interrupted. The former Carbochim industrial platform covers approximately 14 hectares, but the factory's activity was carried out on only 30% of this area.
"In Cluj-Napoca, we took an important step in our project of reconversion of the former Carbochim industrial platform. The vote of the City Council confirms that the project is aligned with the vision of the Municipality regarding the development of the city and the region. We propose a large investment, with multiple functions, a green project, with a focus on culture, which gives back to the city a gray area until now, totally inaccessible to the people of Cluj. It is a natural continuation of the experience gained in the last decade through the development of major urban regeneration projects in the country's major cities. The particularity of the proposal for Cluj-Napoca is given by the fact that we have maintained the landmark factory for the city, we have relocated and refurbished it, without interrupting the activity. We have co-opted experts from many fields in the project, this being the first concept of the Dutch architecture office UNStudio, famous for its work worldwide, and we are looking forward to creating a new space for the people of Cluj, based on their expectations", declared Iulian Dascălu, the president of the IULIUS company.
The project proposes the implementation of good international practices regarding the integration of industrial heritage elements in a real estate investment, by preserving some buildings that symbolize the identity of the place - the hall with arches and the administrative building are the buildings with environmental value for which this could be achieved, according to studies and expertise. They will be integrated into the project and will receive cultural and support functions for local initiatives.
A performing arts center and a performance hall will be created, both cultural concepts being a first for a real estate project in Romania. Moreover, the project will include a large entertainment component, which will also include spaces for outdoor events, the latest cinematographic technologies and open air cinema, interactive entertainment centers for the whole family, concept bookstore, areas dedicated to sports and wellness. These are part of the retail area of over 120,000 square meters, alongside approximately 400 premium and mass market brands, anchors with a profile dedicated to families and home&deco, a varied mix of cafes with international themes and concept restaurants from the country, fresh market, services and local products, medical hub, etc.
The integration of Someș into the project opens public access to the river for the first time and is a process that aligns with the city's strategy for the development of the green-blue corridor. It will be extended in the project with a new urban garden, of over 52,000 square meters of landscaped green spaces, similar to the IULIUS parks in Palas Iași and Iulius Town Timișoara, in which there will be over 700 trees, with ages reaching up to 60 years and over 13 meters high, including trees that were reclaimed from the former industrial platform.
For good connectivity with the city, extensive investments are proposed in systematizing the connectivity of the entire area, assumed by IULIUS through a contract with the Municipality, the value of which is approximately 66 million euros, including direct and indirect benefits for the city, spaces for the community and infrastructure works of approximately 30 million euros, such as the creation of a new road bridge over Someș, with four car lanes, sidewalks and bicycle tracks, the modernization of the streets in the vicinity, the construction of two pedestrian walkways over the river, the development of Pieta 1 Mai and bicycle infrastructure. The project will be served by approximately 4,800 parking spaces, underground and above ground, of which 900 will have connections for charging electric cars, as well as 2,500 spaces for bicycle parking.
The investment will be made by the companies IULIUS and Atterbury Europe. The project is in the stage of obtaining the building permit. The first stage of the works, that of dismantling the former industrial halls, is close to completion, this being an independent step from the approval and authorization process of the new project.
