São Paulo court halts construction at former Cruz da Esperança site

A Federal Court has suspended new physical interventions on the land previously occupied by the Grêmio Esportivo Recreativo Cruz da Esperança in the Casa Verde neighborhood of São Paulo. The decision, published on August 20 by the Tribunal Regional Federal da 3ª Região, prohibits the City of São Paulo and the local concessionaire from conducting works that could affect the soil or subsoil, such as excavations or earthmoving, until technical studies are completed.

The site, known for the ‘Samba do Cruz’, was demolished in July following a court order for repossession to make way for the construction of the Parque Campo de Marte. The club, founded in 1958 by Black taxi drivers, served as a significant cultural hub for samba and amateur football.

The suspension follows a request by the Federal Public Defender's Office (DPU) to protect cultural, religious, and archaeological heritage. An inspection by the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (Iphan) previously identified potential archaeological relevance in the area, including objects and structures linked to African-matrix religions. While the court noted that the initial demolition could not be reversed, the current ruling aims to prevent further damage to potential historical vestiges remaining in the ground.