Authorities have picked up the pace for urban transformation in Istanbul – which is one of the most populous European cities – after the massive devastation in 11 provinces in Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes on Feb. 6, ramping up efforts to demolish the shabby infrastructure to mitigate the destruction in case of catastrophes.

In this context, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change is working with district municipalities and the private sector to renew the dilapidated buildings within projects started in 2012 under the slogan of "Urban Transformation All Over Türkiye."

Urban transformation was never taken that seriously in Türkiye's metropolitan hub after the Marmara earthquake that struck on Aug. 17, 1999; however, authorities are pacing up the renovation and restoration of risky infrastructures after the Feb. 6 catastrophe that not only wreaked havoc in Türkiye and Syria but shook the entire world.

While the transformation of 695,000 independent units has been completed through the cooperation of municipalities and the private sector over a 10-year period in the metropolis, the construction of 93,000 independent units is underway. The ministry aims to rebuild every unstable structure for the urban transformation by 2035.

In Istanbul's Fikirtepe and Kadıköy neighborhoods 1,648 of the 10,765 independent units, 1,563 independent units in Ataşehir's Yukarı Dudullu, 615 independent units in Ümraniye's Hekimbaşı district, 939 independent units in Beyoğlu's Okmeydanı and 130 of 1,295 independent units in Kartal's Orhantepe, which were demolished and reconstructed later, were delivered to the beneficiaries.

The evacuation and demolition process of 2,027 independent units in the Orta and Dumlupınar neighborhoods in Pendik have also been completed.

Besides, 446 independent units in Maltepe's Atışokulu are planned to be demolished soon. In the Beykoz's Tokatköy district, the construction of 823 independent units has been started and the demolition of 653 independent units continues in Eyüpsultan's Islambey.

In Güngören's Tozkoparan and Genç Osman neighborhoods, 144 of 1,770 independent units were delivered to their beneficiaries, while the remaining 1,626 independent units were under construction.

In Üsküdar, the earthquake-safe transformation of 7,084 houses, which include Çamlıca Mosque, Kirazlıtepe, Ferah, Küplüce and Mehmet Akif, continues. Some 551 of the 3,821 independent units, which were demolished and later reconstructed, were delivered to their beneficiaries while the construction of 2,620 independent units in the district continues.

In Esenler, 2,110 out of 60,000 independent units have been delivered to the beneficiaries whereas 745 independent units in the Kağıthane Yahya Kemal neighborhood are in the delivery phase. In the Telsiz, Beştelsiz and Merkezefendi neighborhoods of Zeytinburnu, 1,113 independent units were demolished.

The ministry has been involved in the urban transformation process since 2019 to carry out practices to create safe and livable urban settlements for citizens in risky areas in Gaziosmanpaşa. The transformation process of 5,375 independent units, including 5,265 residences and 110 commercial units in four neighborhoods and five sub-regions in the district is being carried out in coordination with the Housing Development Administration (TOKI).

In Çatalca's Ferhatpaşa neighborhood, 285 independent units have entered the final stage of construction.

In this context, a total of 1,081 independent units, including 1,040 residences and 41 commercial units, were delivered to their beneficiaries in Gaziosmanpaşa's Yıldıztabya and Sarıgöl neighborhoods. The construction of 842 independent units, 813 residences and 29 commercial units was completed and handed over to the beneficiaries. Besides, the construction of 926 residences and one commercial unit continues in the Bağlarbaşı (7A) neighborhood.

The tender process of 1,860 independent units comprising 1,821 residences and 39 commercial units in the Sarıgöl, Yenimahalle and Yıldıztabya neighborhoods has been completed and construction has begun.

IBB KİPTAŞ

Within urban transformation, KIPTAŞ – a subsidiary of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) – took the tender to complete and deliver all legal and technical problems related to urban transformation projects in Bayrampaşa.

In the new project of KIPTAŞ, 1,646 independent units were planned in Eyüpsultan, Bağcılar, Güngören, Beylikdüzü, Beşiktaş and Kadıköy. The first phase of Eyüpsultan's Yeşilpınar houses, which comprises 155 independent units, has been completed and delivered to the beneficiaries.

In Kadıköy three buildings were demolished and their new foundations were laid, with earthquake safety areas set aside in the buildings.

Noting that Istanbul is a city that accommodates one-seventh of the population of Türkiye, the former IBB Earthquake and Natural Disaster Commission chairperson, Kadem Ekşi, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that about 1.2 million of 7.1 million independent units in the city need to be quickly renewed or strengthened. "We have over 1 million buildings in Istanbul and nearly 70% of them were built before 2000," he highlighted.

"The weakening of the buildings because of the iron reinforcements, deterioration due to the corrosion of the foundation, carrier systems and the insulation problems have brought us to a point that seriously concerns us," he added.