Didn’t progress as planned. That’s the story of Athaydeville. This area in Barra da Tijuca was once envisioned as a sprawling metropolis. It would feature 76 residential towers designed by Oscar Niemeyer. These towers would combine commerce, leisure, and services.
Let’s rewind to the late 1960s. Desenvolvimento Engenharia launched Centro da Barra. Múcio Athayde’s company planned a futuristic urban center. Lúcio Costa designed it. The initial plan aimed for completion by 1980. The first units were expected in 1974.
However, problems arose early on. Lúcio Costa left the project. He couldn’t secure government support for his plan. The small apartments shaped like pizza slices also deterred buyers.
The project faced significant delays. Investors returned their shares to Desenvolvimento. They sold them below market price. These shares were resold without official registration. This maneuver allegedly generated substantial profits for Desenvolvimento. Múcio Athayde claimed to be a victim of economic blockade. He said the government hindered his access to favorable financing.
Renamed Athaydeville in the late 1970s the project was scaled back. It was reduced to four towers. Controversy persisted about its viability. In 1984, a city council inquiry recommended against renewing construction licenses. This was due to tax irregularities.
Of the four planned towers, three were built. Only two were delivered. Torre Abraham Lincoln, also known as Torre H, remains unfinished. Construction began in 1970 but halted in 1984. Torre Ernest Hemingway was built between 1973 and 1977. Encol completed it in 1994. Torre Charles de Gaulle was built between 1974 and 1990. Desenvolvimento delivered it.
These three buildings stand as the tallest structures in Barra da Tijuca. They have 36 floors. They are about 120 meters high. Despite its issues, Athaydeville was marketed until the 1990s.
Torre H remains an empty shell. It had 250 of its 454 apartments sold. In 2004, it was briefly occupied by favela residents. This crisis hastened Desenvolvimento Engenharia’s bankruptcy. It was declared in 2005. In 2007, 190 Torre H apartments were auctioned. The building is at risk of demolition if not renovated.
The area’s name changed in 2003. Municipal law renamed parts of it Bosque Marapendi and Parque Lúcio Costa. Yet, Athaydeville’s legacy remains. Roads and the Ponte Lúcio Costa were built by Desenvolvimento Engenharia. They were meant to enhance the project and its surroundings.
Athaydeville is a reminder of grand ambitions. It is also a lesson of unrealized dreams. It encapsulates both the vision and the pitfalls of urban development in Rio.