Saba reaches an agreement with Rome City Council to develop and further expand the Villa Borghese car park

Saba Aparcamientos, the car parks division of Saba Infraestructuras, has signed a renewal of its contract with Rome City Council in order to expand the parking area at the Villa Borghese car park, which the company currently manages. This approach includes a series of actions that, in their final terms imply an estimated investment of EUR 141.6 million. This agreement means extending the contract that Saba signed with Rome City Council in 2007 to renovate and improve this car park, which already included the expansion of the underground parking area, the construction of a bus terminal and the expansion of the existing commercial area.

In this regard, the contract includes now the construction of a residents car park area and a mechanised walkway that will connect this parking area to the Piazza de Popolo, thereby responding to requests from Rome City Council to solve the mobility needs of the areas inhabitants, while at the same time designing a development project that does not endanger local archaeology.

Rome City Council had initially planned the construction and management of this residents car park for the Piazza del Popolo, but this work could not be carried out due to archaeological difficulties, which led the City Council to request that Saba include this project as part of the measures planned for Villa Borghese. The project is part of the urban development and pedestrianising process that the City of Rome is planning to implement to the city centre basically to reduce congestion and streamline mobility.

Set of actions to expand and improve the car park

The project involves the extension of the existing underground car park which, with the 200 new car park places included in this reform, will reach a total of 2,000 places distributed over three floors. Saba will also develop a new tourist bus parking area, connected to Rome's public transport system, comprising 81 places, as well as the expansion of retail space and storage complex up to the 19,540 meters square (it currently measures 11,030 square meters).
This also includes the construction of an operations and maintenance terminal for electric buses with capacity for 125 vehicles, which will be used by the municipal public transport agency. Management of the existing parking area for motorcycles with capacity for 206 spaces is included as well.
Finally, a residents car park with 360 spaces will be constructed, located on the third floor of the complex. This action will go along with the construction of a mechanised walkway that will connect the car park to the Piazza del Popolo via a pedestrian subway. The construction is subject to the premarketing of 80% of the spaces for residents, a presales period that will last six months.

Project award and commencement of construction are scheduled for the second semester of 2012 and may last 4 years. Saba will manage the whole parking complex on a concessionary basis for 54 years, until 2061.

Prime geographical location

The Villa Borghese, which is located in the centre of Rome, is one of the citys most popular public areas. It is the citys largest park and in recent years has combined green spaces and high class culture. The area is home to some of Italys most picturesque parks and gardens as well as five of the citys most important museums, including the Borghese Gallery and the National Gallery of Modern Art.

In recent years the complex has started to offer visitors important cultural and recreational attractions. It houses Romes biopark and zoo as well as the citys Casa del Cinema (House of Cinema). The car park managed by Saba is connected to the Ludovisi Pinciano business centre, an upmarket shopping area (Piazza de Spagna, Via Condotti) and popular tourist areas.

Italy, a key market for Saba

This new Villa Borghese project bolsters Sabas already strong presence in the Italian car parks sector. Saba currently manages 60 car parks with approximately 30,000 spaces on Italian soil. Rome, Milan, Venice, Verona, Bari, San Remo, Genoa or Trieste are just some of the 21 cities where Saba operates.

About Saba

Saba Aparcamientos is Spains leading operator and one of the largest in Europe. It is currently present in more than 80 cities in Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Chile and Andorra. The company manages approximately 130.000 spaces in more than 200 car parks. It is also engaged in new projects that will increase the network to 214 car parks and 140.000 parking spaces. Saba Aparcamientos is part of Saba Infraestructuras, a leading company in car park management since 1966 and in logistics park, with Saba Parques Logísticos, management since 1999.