Pole of excellence to restore earthquake-damaged works in Marche to be created in Camerino

The borough of Camerino will be reborn with major urban regeneration project that includes the creation of the first Pole of Excellence for the restoration of earthquake-damaged works of art in the Marche Region, as well as museum spaces, educational laboratories and university residences. These are the contents of the institutional collaboration agreement signed by the Extraordinary Commissioner for the 2016 Earthquake, the Agenzia del Demanio, the Marche Regional Museums Directorate, the University of Camerino, the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio for the Provinces of Ascoli Piceno, Fermo and Macerata and the Municipality of Camerino. The agreement is aimed at the implementation of the project for the redevelopment of the state-owned assets Ex Casermette di Torre del Parco, Chiesa di San Francesco, Ex Carcere Giudiziario and Ex Caserma dei Carabinieri, in order to contribute to the recovery and revitalization of the area hard hit by the earthquake, with a view to economic and social growth. The funds for the reconstruction are those provided by the government’s Extraordinary Commissioner, or about 10.4 million euros, plus nearly 30 million euros allocated under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRPR).

The design and implementation of the interventions are set according to the public reconstruction model, promoted by the Agenzia del Demanio, which aims to regenerate the social and economic fabric of the territory by drawing inspiration from the principles of sustainability, digital transformation, accessibility and connectivity.

The concept behind the urban regeneration project is to create a connection between the different real estate complexes located in suburban areas and in the historic center. In particular, the project for the redevelopment and re-functionalization of the Former Casermette of Torre del Parco envisages the creation of a pole of excellence for the restoration of cultural heritage, as an element of socio-economic and cultural revitalization of the city of Camerino, in order to promote the tourist offer, attract investment and create employment. The first intervention on eight buildings, which has already been inaugurated in recent days, provides funding of about 10 million euros with funds from the NPC (National Plan complementary to the NRP for the areas of the earthquake 2009 and 2016), while the second batch concerns eighteen buildings with funding from NRP funds of about 20 million euros.

The buildings will be seismically retrofitted and the entire area repurposed to create a Recovery Art, the first disaster-damaged art and cultural heritage shelter and recovery center in the Marche region. Educational and exhibition areas are also planned to temporarily house the most prestigious restored works before they are relocated to their original location. The new hub is thus intended to be a center of interest for Ministry of Culture staff, restoration experts, university professors, students, and art-loving citizens and tourists. An urban regeneration initiative that aims to be an engine of revitalization for the city of Camerino, actively involving it in the Recovery Art project, as a point of reference and fruition for citizens and for the development of museum tourism in the area.

The intervention on the Church of St. Francis, the Former Judicial Prison and the Former Carabinieri Barracks, all located in the historic center, provides a total funding of 10.4 million euros, allocated by Special Ordinance No. 27 of 14.10.2021 of the Extraordinary Commissioner of Government for the Earthquake 2016. The project concept is based on the creation of a cultural scientific and museum hub to be used for exhibition areas, teaching laboratories and classrooms in line with the University of Camerino’s educational offerings, guest quarters for professionals and university residences. Intent is to bring back the Civic Art Gallery inside the Church of St. Francis and create the Museum of Excellence in Contemporary Art, in order to socially, economically, culturally and touristically revitalize the village. The implementation agreement may be expanded to other state-owned, municipally-owned or other government-owned properties, and complements other initiatives already underway in which the state is committed to the construction of the new Fire and Carabinieri Barracks.

“From a weapons depot to a laboratory of recovery and rebirth for earthquake-damaged works: the repurposing of the former Casermette of Camerino is an example of urban regeneration in the 2016 crater,” says 2016 Earthquake Reconstruction Commissioner Guido Castelli. “We are enhancing buildings that from their original military function will be able to be adapted to the need for the custody and recovery of the nearly 30,000 cultural assets that were taken from earthquake-damaged churches and buildings. We want to accompany in the difficult path of reconstruction and repair the community of Camerino, which has faced the adversities of these years with courage and great dignity. After the recently approved Special Ordinance, which programs the construction of the historic center of Camerino, this is another substantial step forward for the ducal city.”

Pole of excellence to restore earthquake-damaged works in Marche to be created in Camerino

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