The transformation of "urban villages” has brought better regional functions and quality of life in Baoshan District.

As one of the heart-winning projects in Shanghai, many resettlement houses have been completed in the reconstruction projects of urban villages, and this New Year's Day welcomes residents to move back. Take Yanghang old market town in Baoshan District, which is undertaking the transformation rapidly, as an example. Two days ago, residents have successively received their keys and moved into new houses.

Owing to the transformation of urban villages, residents have gained not only new houses and new lives, but also brand new living spaces. Industrial spaces and public service facilities have been built in new spaces, making up for the deficiency in functions through overall planning and therefore realizing the improvement of both regional functions and quality of life.

Making use of diversified funds to transform old market towns

An urban village is neither a city nor a traditional village. With residents, farmers and enterprises living in one area together, and as a result of the open blocks layout, an urban village often turns into weak governance areas.

Take Yanghang old market town in Baoshan District as an instance. The old town once had prosperous commerce and trade with crowded popularity. However, it is the high living density and relatively independent and mature lifestyle that result in "high cost" and "difficult retreat" in the process of land transfer. With the time going, the town was surrounded by more and more skyscrapers, leaving the old market town behind the urban areas to memorize the old days.

Many years ago, Shanghai began to explore the transformation of "urban villages". With the joint help from the government, market and many other subjects, and by balancing the input and output of project funds as a whole, this "urban scar" was transformed with diversified funds. In Baoshan District, "old market towns" including Gucun, Dachang, and Yanghang are all included in the project.

Nowadays, when overlooking both sides of Yangtai Road in the air, one side consists of newly built resettlement houses, and the other side is old village town that is waiting for a new appearance. As the nearly 2,000 acres area is too large, the Yanghang old market town is divided into two parts so as to develop and promote the area in batches. A brand new life and atmosphere are coming forward.

"The plan that is more beneficial to the people will be chosen"

Two days ago, both sides of Yangtao Road are fully parked with cars. Most of their owners were residents who came to handle the property handover formalities. This road, which is specially designed for the reconstruction project of "urban villages", directly reaches schools and other public facilities.

"We can finally move into our new houses, and everyone is very happy." Carrying a red bag, Mr. Gu couldn't stop smiling.

The urban village reconstruction project usually adopts the mode of construction at the original demolished site. Planning scheme, land acquisition and relocation, land supply, construction and delivery...Many renovation projects are faced with difficulties such as large plots and complex situations, and may need longer time. “However, the project has been promoted with strong support, and it takes about two-third of the time to reconstruct the old market town in the first phase." said by the deputy director of the Bureau of Housing Management in Baoshan District.

As early as the scheme design, the team has decided to choose the plan that is more beneficial to the people, and provided preferential policies to families with more difficulties.

For special subjects such as enterprises and factories, the work team follows the principle of "specific plan for each enterprise". Special personnel will be sent to visit and follow unique cases with complex ownership relations in a regular manner.

The land retreat process has been accelerated, and each key aspect of the old market town reconstruction project has been taken into account. For the staff of the project, the rapid progress is of great significance to the urban village reconstruction project, which is beneficial to the offset of various uncertain factors.

The new round of transformation accepts the concept of industry-city integration

"Viewed from the air, the city has completely changed". Brand-new 26-story tall buildings, semi-enclosed balconies, and intelligent access control systems that allow the residents to swipe cards to enter become the new standards of middle and high-end communities.

As the building becomes higher, the community is renamed, and the interpersonal relationship once connected by the rural neighborhoods are also reshaped. The most obvious change is the “three major committees”, that is, the neighborhood committee, owner committee, and property management committee, which help strongly promote the grass-roots governance.

There is also something that has not changed. The deputy commander of the Urban Village Headquarters of Yanghang old market town said that a stone tablet on the old street was completely preserved. It once stood in the core area of the market town by which the local people often passed in the old days. Now, this stone tablet is also included in the plan of the new space after renovation.

In addition to the improvement of living quality and environment, the transformation also accepts the concept of industry-city integration. After repeated analysis, Baoshan District decided to put more industrial spaces during the second phase of the reconstruction project. According to the relevant personnel in charge, in the long run, the spatial layout based on jobs-housing balance will help "urban villages” make up for the deficiency in functions in all aspects and all fields, making the village truly a desirable new space for living and working.