Forty percent of Villa Soldati’s residents live in Barrio Soldati. This public housing development stands as a testament to Argentina’s history. Barrio Soldati wasn’t always a collection of high-rise buildings. It began its life differently.
Originally part of San José de Flores it was known as “Bajo Flores”. This area was prone to flooding. The Riachuelo River and the Cildáñez stream often overflowed. Coipos false otters fish frogs and birds thrived in the marshland. In 1908 Dr José Soldati a visionary Swiss immigrant founded the area. He named it Villa Lugano after his hometown. He sold the first lots in 1911. However flooding hampered development. The opening of a landfill in 1936 further dimmed hopes. Despite this a large dairy La Vascongada helped boost the area’s economy in 1930.
Villa Soldati’s identity was formally established in 1972. Before then it was part of a larger area including what is now Villa Lugano. Sadly the area wasn’t without tragedy. On June 11 1962 a train and bus collided. Forty-three people mostly children were killed.
Mayor Osvaldo Cacciatore attempted to revitalize the area in the 1970s and 80s. He aimed to transform the city’s poorest ward. His plan involved building Parque de la Ciudad an amusement park. The project was built over the former landfill. The park was constructed after 1977. However the bankruptcy of the developer Interama in 1980 sparked controversy. Cacciatore had the city cover debts exceeding US$100 million. The park’s ambitious target of 15 million visitors a year never materialized. Attendance never surpassed 1 million.
Barrio Soldati itself was completed between 1973 and 1979. It comprises 3200 apartments in buildings ranging from four to fifteen stories. Connecting walkways were intended to create a sense of community and urban living. The vision of social inclusion remained partially fulfilled. The low economic status of residents and building quality issues led to high rates of delinquency and neglect.
In 1978 the municipal landfill was closed. The large Bajo Flores dump was once considered the second-largest in the world. In its place Parque Polideportivo Julio Argentino Roca now Parque Olímpico de la Juventud opened in 1979. Parque de la Ciudad also opened in the 1980s.
The Barrio Soldati stands today a complex neighborhood with a rich and sometimes tragic history. It’s a place where progress and hardship intertwine. A place with resilience determination and stories waiting to be discovered.