El Cabanyal: autopsy of an atypical district

It is the story of an unusual district, the one located near the port and the beach of Valencia: the famous Cabanyal, once a simple fishing village, an ignored maritime zone, despised by a majority but which today takes its revenge with a charismatic, cosmopolitan and unusual aspect. A neighborhood without history? It should also be said that The Cabanyal has always had a sulphurous reputation… open-air drug supermarkets of all kinds, squatted more than inhabited, the population that lived there created a zone of lawlessness where insecurity and insalubrity are the the stars … and then things change, time passes … Cursed neighborhood for some who saw only decadence and estrangement, but for others, a trendy aerea that is now the subject of a real estate speculation .

A neighborhood without history?

It should also be said that The Cabanyal has always had a sulphurous reputation… open-air drug supermarkets of all kinds, squatted more than inhabited, the population which lived there until then made it a zone of lawlessness where insecurity and insalubrity fought to be the most famous… however, things have changed, time has passed… The cursed neighborhood seen by some as decadent for others, it is now perceived as a trendy neighborhood, object of an unprecedented real speculation.

Some years ago, a few “guiris” set their sight on a number of charming houses, which they bought for practically nothing, and since a few urban improvement works have been financed and carried out by the town hall, the neighborhood has really begun to develop it’s charm and soul: the main streets offer an alignment of houses with multicolored facades which makes us think of renovated and sometimes ultra-modern and luxurious interiors… all this 5 minutes from the beach. As a result, new shops and pleasant restaurants have also set up, who also contribute to making it a pleasurable district where life is already satisfying… And yet a few years ago, El Cabanyal had to be largely razed to make some place for the extension of Avenida Blasco Ibañez and modern buildings, however they counted on the resistance of the inhabitants and political opponents who fought hard to abort this project which was so dear to the former municipal majority of Rita Barbera.

No future?

But the rebirth of this district remains extremely slow and very limited in number of streets or square kilometers because except for these few axes which have been revamped in recent years (with a clear acceleration for 2 years), some areas are frightening because the level of dilapidation and insalubrity compete with cities of the Third World. This strange cohabitation leaves the visitor stunned, as he changes pavements, he does not only cross the street, but move to a contrasting ambiance.
As a result, usually streets like Reina, Barraca or Calle Mediterráneo are the only ones who attract lusts and where prices are peaking! From single to double or triple in only 5 years and 90% of these purchases are made by foreigners, usually French, English, German or Belgian who invest either to have a temporary accommodation (while renting it via Airbnb to make it profitable), or to live a peaceful retirement. But those massive foreigners who have the means to pay without borrowing is seen as a threat for Valencians who also desire to acquire a property in this area: if they want to buy a house with a mortgage for example at 150 000 euros, the real value of the property will be estimated by an expert at much less, 80 000 for example, and therefore the credit they will obtain will often be insufficient for them.

As for the other part of Cabanyal, also known as “Zona Cero”, those who are audacious and patient are beginning to take an interest in it: within a few years these streets should finally be the object of serious investments in urban development, which are certainly slow, but which will sooner or later enable this place to put an end to drugs, squatters and insalubrity. The 30 million euros released in 2017 by the Valencia City Council and the European Union to finance rehabilitation projects and come to the aid of marginal families should, therefore, allow hope for improvement.

The Cabanyal as a whole may then have become an enchanting district in which foreign residents, Valencians and tourists passing by can cohabitate.