Work in San Benedetto, removing another 120 parking spaces in Cagliari's city center: "The situation is absurd."

"A disaster for our revenue." Business owners near the former San Benedetto market are worried: until December 31st, the exterior of the civic building will be fenced off and transformed into a parking area for vehicles that are redeveloping the building. This means approximately 120 fewer parking spaces. A blow for residents and merchants, already affected by the relocation of sales to the temporary market in Piazza Nazzari.

The desert

Yesterday, early in the morning, workers from the company carrying out the renovation began installing fencing around the construction site on Via Tiziano (between Via Pacinotti and Via Bacaredda) and Via Pacinotti (between Via Tiziano and Via Cocco Ortu), thus closing the loop surrounding the market. "Since March, when the work began and the parking restrictions were implemented, our business has dropped by more than 20 percent." Gianfranco Ghirra is the owner of a historic shoe shop between Via Tiziano and Via Pacinotti. The shopkeeper has no doubts.

"The collapse was caused by the reduction in parking and the market closure. The negative effects are especially tangible on weekends; before, Cagliari residents and tourists would flock to the stalls, now it's a death knell." Ghirra sees a troubled future. "It's nothing yet; who knows how things will go until December 31st. Luckily, we've been in business for 60 years and can still hold on. Others haven't made it: shutters down and spaces that no one wants to rent anymore despite the reduction in rental costs." For the shopkeeper, there were alternative solutions. "The municipality should have found a way out, one of which was the land of the former furniture factory."

Federico Mura, also on Via Tiziano, runs a computer support business. "Since Via Cocco Ortu was closed, we've seen a 30 percent loss." The problem isn't just customers who can't find parking and go elsewhere. "Loading or unloading goods has become impossible; a single lane doesn't even allow double parking." Mura is seriously considering a drastic solution. "Of course, you have to be patient and not give up, but if the situation gets worse, I'll have no choice but to move my business." The same thing happens a few meters away. "From now on, things will definitely get worse, but it's nothing yet," says Giacomo Coccodi, of the delicatessen "La Schiscedda," who does the math. "So far, we've seen a reduction in revenue of a third; it'll be tough to hold on like this."

The construction site

"At this stage, we are working, in close coordination with Enel, Open Fiber, and CTM, to resolve the technical issues related to the relocation of the electrical substations (already built), for which Enel must complete the connections, and to prepare the structures necessary to support the trolleybus network cables," explains Yuri Marcialis, Councilor for Mobility and Urban Infrastructure. Was the parking cut necessary? "We are proceeding with securing the market entrances, which will remain permanent even after the project is completed. Precisely to ensure safety and allow for the movement of construction materials and vehicles, at this stage it is necessary to establish a construction site for part of the inner ring road parking lots near those areas. Once this phase, which involves parties external to the Municipality, is completed, we will be able to proceed quickly with the first demolitions of the perimeter walls, entering the heart of the redevelopment project."

Andrea Artizzu