Urban Operation Downtown comprehends the so called "Old Downtown" and "New Downtown" as well as parts of historical neighborhoods such as Glicério, Brás, Bexiga, Vila Buarque and Santa Efigênia.

This Urban Operation was created to promote the recovery of the city's central area, making it attractive again to real state, commercial, tourism and cultural investments. Many incentives can be granted such as concessions of above zoning limit constructions, regularization of buildings, concessions of subterranean or air public spaces.

All these benefits shall be granted in exchange of a financial counterpart, paid to the City Hall. As set in all Urban Operations, the income generated by each one of them shall be spent exclusively in the Urban Operation's own area. Therefore, the reurbanization of "Praça do Patriarca", for example, was made entirely with this operation own income.

Source: EMURB