The 2022 Census revealed that Rio de Janeiro has 388 thousand unoccupied private homes, which represents 13.32% of the total number of homes in the city. This data, despite not specifying exact numbers for the Center, is complemented by a survey by the Center’s Subprefecture, which identified 158 properties that are still empty and in a poor state of repair in the region.
At the same time, a survey by the company’s commercial department Sergio Castro Real Estate brought encouraging data for those who love the Historic Center, and that only 19% of the corporate units considered to be of high standard are empty: as a result, more than 80% of the most luxurious and modern offices in the region are already rented. The problem in general is with old properties.
The city hall list reveals that the streets with the most properties in these conditions are:
- Rua da Carioca —12
- Constitution Street —10
- Rua Visconde do Rio Branco and Rua Mem de Sá — 9
- Rua Sete de Setembro —8
- Conselheiro Saraiva and Candelária Streets and Travessa do Comércio — 6
- Tiradentes Square and Rua dos Inválidos — 5
The situation of old abandoned buildings in the center of Rio de Janeiro has caused concern to prevent further collapses. Therefore, the subprefecture’s report was forwarded to Civil Defense to check whether there is a risk of collapse. There are also entire areas that fight against the criminal invasion of properties, as occurs on Visconde de Inhaúma and Teófilo Otoni streets.
Some recent collapses triggered this alert. The internal structure of a property in Praça da República collapsed on the night of March 17th. Another episode, in October 2023, involved the partial collapse of a building in Travessa do Comércio, in the Arco do Teles region, which affected a neighboring property, and put the nationally listed complex of Praça XV at risk. At the time, the city hall took ownership of the property that caused the problem, through an instrument called “collection”, and has already shored up the house, which, after years of neglect and abandonment, must be restored by the municipality.
To encourage the revitalization and reoccupation of the Center, the city hall launched the Reviver Cultural Centro program. So far, 37 buildings have been licensed under the project, 30 of which were properties that were closed and will be transformed by cultural activities. The majority in the Praça XV region.
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