Historical, ethic and urbanistic background at Monterrey, Mexico

This paper is dealing with the regeneration of the urban centers as an integrated subject between tree disciplines history, ethics and urbanism. We will discuss the urban development and its consequences in the center of Monterrey. The paper is part of a ongoing discussion in the city of how to deal with the old part of the city in a city which grows with more than 5% per year. The city of Monterrey in the state of Nuevo Leon, is the third largest city in Mexico, 540 meters above sea level located in the north east of Mexico 900 km. from Mexico City, 150 km. from the border of Texas. The city- plateau lies as a huge rug- like collage of different structures interlaced in a way that appears like a haphazard game of Lego spread over 57, 241 HAS. Currently, the urban discussion is about exploring the cityscape and using all parts in a flexible and schematic way, in order to exploit the advantages of new technology in the expanded city. The city has grown so fast that older and original parts have been left behind, as the outer suburban area grows; the central part of the city is becoming a dark hole of urban blight. The center of the city is undergoing a brutal change of land use and population. At the beginning of 1990 there were still about 100.000 inhabitants in the metropolitan center but this number has fallen to less than 10. 000, due to the search for more automobile- oriented living facilities. In large part the living areas in the center have been left vacant and are now being used for other purposes small offices, stores restaurants and bars proliferate with little to no investment in regenerating the urban space or the building structure Just as a black hole in space sucks in vital energy and everything in its path like in Detroit the necessity for regeneration becomes absolutely imperative. Unless a strategic plan involving all sectors of the city start to work together defining the future relationship of the center with the rest of the metropolitan area and define and find specific uses for this zone.