To anyone who has ever looked at a bit of crumbling Venice and said, or even thought, “They really ought to fix that,” this is your moment. But if you were to have considered coming here now to see Venice, let me warn you that you’ll be seeing square miles of scaffolding and tarpaulin.
I was fascinated by all this happening so suddenly (or at all), and believe me, at a certain point I stopped taking pictures because there’s no need to publish literally a thousand photos of scaffolding and tarpaulin. But why is it happening now? Like so many questions, the answer is lying at, or not far from, some point involving money because, apart from the cost of the work, there is a phenomenal daily cost merely for the scaffolding. As I understand it, the cost is imposed because the metal towers are occupying public space (think cafe tables inching out into the street), and said occupation comes at a price. Perhaps this is true in the whole world, but because we’re here, I risk invoking my one-size-fits-all explanation: ThisisVenicewheremoneyisking.
For confirmation, I went to Lino, as I always do, and he answered my question with two words: “Bonus casa.” (As I said: Money.) Here is how it works and why everything is happening now, translated by me from a well-informed website. “Extension till December 31, 2021 also for the deduction from personal income tax (Irpef) of 50 percent of the expenses sustained for interventions of building recovery, also known as ‘bonus casa’ or ‘bonus renovation.’ With a maximum limit of 96,000 euros for each unit of real estate.” Fun fact: There is an assortment of additional bonuses for a variety of housing improvements from improving energy efficiency to windows to installation of solar panels to street-facing facades to adding or maintaining “green areas.” There is much more, but you get the idea.
So I’m absolutely correct in supposing that everybody woke up with a start one morning yelling “OMG I’ve got to get started on redoing the entire building today!”
I’m not saying you should bring a hard hat to wear over your woolen watch cap. Just saying that work is booming. Nice, when you think about it. Only slightly less nice when they’re drilling, hammering, sawing, scraping, sanding and yelling next to your bedroom window. And the dust, of course. Now I know why I haven’t dusted the house since spring; I must have sensed that this was coming up. Life is still so far from perfection….
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When it comes to dusting, my motto is: “Why dust today, when the dust will still be there tomorrow?”
Totally agree.
George Melly (jazz singer and raconteur) used to say that after two years the dust doesn’t get any deeper.
“Mrs Miggins, I can write my name in the dust on this mantlepiece!”
“Lawks, sir, ain’t education a wonderful thing?”
Priceless! Thanks!
Point well made! Your sharp eyes don’t let these developments pass without comment. Is there a terminus post quem when the improvements have to be completed? Years ago I started researching scaffoldings in NYC, in hopes of having a project that would keep me in the city for awhile. I never saw a scaffolding actually removed.
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There doesn’t appear to be a deadline in logistical terms. There is almost certainly a financial one — most of these are private structures, so whoever is paying isn’t going to want to continue indefinitely. Scaffolding here is taken down all the time (though I do recall that the scaffolding covering the facade of the Clock Tower in the Piazza San Marco stayed up for years. Not made up.) I have no idea about the costs in New York, but the cost of fixed Scaffolding here runs roughly between 7 and 15 euros per square meter per month. Factors that are included are the cost of setting up and taking down (which is the biggest chunk of the price), the platforms that the workers stand on, the security netting, bargeboard, “parapet” or barrier to block falling bits of stuff, security railing, the anti-crime alarm, and lighting. Wait — there is also the cost of the bureaucratic forms and permissions: The work plan ranges from 200 to 700 euros, and the security plan from 150 to 250. The real bargain is the one euro per day due to the Comune for occupying public space. You can see why it’s to everybody’s advantage, except the company doing the work, to finish the job as quickly as possible.
Probably, but considering how deadlines keep shifting, I’d say that the definition of the date at which improvements have to be completed is whenever it finally gets done. They’ve just shifted the deadline for finishing MOSE to Christmas 2023, so………..
It’s okay to write your name in the dust, but don’t add the date.
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Words of wisdom. Also hilarious! Thanks, Yvonne, I knew you’d understand…..
Certainly Quentin Crisp declared that after four years the dust didn’t get any deeper!
Have a good Christmas, all of you, and especially Erla and Lino, thanks for all the information and interesting images.
Thanks so much — return good wishes to you, and even better wishes for the new year.
I noticed the scaffolding when I was in Venice for the Festa della Salute and I was delighted to see it! It means people are working through all this COVID mess. It’s been so tough for some to make a living that I’m glad people are gainfully employed!
Always an informative Good laugh, thank you! Glad the limitations of scaffolding rental will prevent Venezia from becoming Venice of Vegas.