Mar del Plata proposes program to revitalize commercial galleries

A new municipal ordinance project has been proposed in Mar del Plata to revitalize the city's commercial galleries. Introduced by Councilor Melisa Centurión of Acción Marplatense – Movimiento Derecho al Futuro, the Municipal Program for the Reactivation of Commercial Galleries aims to reintegrate these traditional spaces into the city's economic, commercial, and cultural circuits.

A diagnostic survey indicates that Mar del Plata contains approximately fifty commercial galleries, many of which suffer from vacant premises, early closures, or varying degrees of abandonment. The initiative seeks to transform these locations into hubs for innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity, design, and new technologies.

To encourage participation, the project allows property owners to grant use of their vacant premises to entrepreneurs for a minimum of six months at no cost. In exchange, owners could receive municipal benefits, including exemptions from Urban Service Taxes, special payment plans, the forgiveness of municipal debts and interest, or the cancellation of certain fines and sanctions. The proposal also includes municipal training and capacity-building programs for entrepreneurs.