Tamara Bosanac
Articles
Hollowing out and revitalising a post-socialist city centre: Vacant commercial premises in Zagreb
Geographia Polonica (2020) vol. 93, iss. 3, pp. 341-360 | 
Full text
doi: https://doi.org/10.7163/GPol.0177
Abstract
The problem of vacant commercial premises has been present in some central areas of transitional citiesof Central and Eastern Europe, which have decayed in parallel to spatially uneven urban development processesand/or suburban expansion. This research aims to contribute to systematic analysis of the reasons forabandonment of commercial premises in the centre of Zagreb and exploration of revitalisation strategies, withan emphasis on the significance of citizen participation for successful planning and management of the city.The research was undertaken in two phases in May, 2016. The first included mapping of vacant commercial premises on selected streets in Zagreb’s centre. Next, using a non-probabilistic sample, a questionnaire surveywas carried out face-to-face and online (N = 200). The results of the questionnaire survey showed the respondents’awareness of the complex set of reasons underlying the occurrence and expansion of this phenomenonin the city centre and the need for urban regeneration, including a stronger regulatory framework at the citylevel.
Keywords: vacant commercial premises • city centre • questionnaire survey • mapping • Zagreb
[radeljak@geog.pmf.hr], Department of Geography, Faculty of Science University of Zagreb Marulićev trg 19, 10000 Zagreb: Croatia
[slaven.klicek@gmail.com], Association “Cyclists’ Union” Ribnjak 3, 10000 Zagreb: Croatia
[filip.biscevic@gmail.com]
[dino.dokupil@gmail.com]
[jasinski.davorin@gmail.com]
[begon.m@gmail.com]
[doroteja.harjac@gmail.com]
[tamarabosanac@outlook.com]
[silvija.komes@gmail.com]
[lslavuj@geog.pmf.hr]
, Association “Cyclists’ Union” Ribnjak 3, 10000 Zagreb: Croatia
[mislav.zuanovic@gmail.com]
[lindakorpar@gmail.com]