Florence officials meet with environmental groups over Costa San Giorgio resort

A dialogue has opened between the Florence urban planning department and local environmental groups regarding the controversial Costa San Giorgio development. The meeting, involving the association Idra and Italia Nostra, addressed the long-standing dispute over a proposed luxury resort near the Boboli Medici Gardens.

In December 2021, authorities granted entrepreneur Alfredo Lowenstein permission to transform the medieval convent complexes of San Girolamo, San Francesco, and San Giorgio. The project includes a significant urban transformation and a facility with 300 beds. Local groups have sought public debate and participation, including the ‘Laboratorio Belvedere’ project, to address the impact of the development on the historic area.