BERGAMO, 18 March 2026
Construction crews began excavation work Monday morning along Via Broseta for a mixed-use residential complex that will add 180 new apartments to Bergamo's housing supply. Deputy Mayor Elena Morosini confirmed at a press briefing that the €47 million project, developed by Gruppo Edile Lombardo, aims for completion by late 2028.
The development site, spanning roughly 12,000 square metres adjacent to the historic quarter, has been vacant since a textile factory closed there in 2011. Work starts now. According to the Lombardy Regional Building Authority, this marks the largest residential permit issued in Bergamo province this year. Our correspondents in Bergamo observed heavy machinery arriving before dawn, with workers installing temporary fencing along the perimeter while curious residents gathered at nearby Caffè San Marco to watch the activity unfold. The project will feature reinforced concrete load-bearing structures designed to meet the latest seismic resistance standards, a requirement that has become standard practice following updated national building codes enacted in 2024. Engineers have indicated that the foundation work alone, including deep pile driving and soil stabilisation, will occupy crews for approximately four months before vertical construction can proceed upward.
When we spoke with Marco Silvestri, a site foreman with 22 years of experience in Lombard construction, he expressed cautious optimism about meeting the projected timeline. Labour availability remains tight across northern Italy. The Associazione Nazionale Costruttori Edili reported last month that skilled tradespeople, particularly those certified in formwork assembly and curtain wall installation, are in short supply throughout the region. Silvestri noted that his team has recruited workers from as far as Brescia and Cremona to fill gaps. According to figures that could not be independently verified, the project will require approximately 340 workers at peak activity, generating significant temporary employment for the area. The old factory's brick chimney, a minor local landmark visible from Piazza Pontida, will be preserved and incorporated into the courtyard design as a nod to the site's industrial heritage.
Financial backing comes from a consortium that includes two Bergamo-based credit unions and a Milan investment fund specialising in sustainable urban development. The timeline remains unclear regarding when pre-sales for individual units will open to the public, though promotional materials suggest pricing will target middle-income buyers priced out of the city centre's increasingly expensive rental market. Environmental assessments conducted by the Istituto Lombardo per l'Edilizia Sostenibile indicate that the completed buildings will achieve Class A4 energy certification through extensive photovoltaic panel arrays and advanced thermal insulation in the building envelope. Critics have raised concerns about increased traffic along Via Broseta, a narrow street already congested during morning rush hours. Municipal planners have proposed widening a section of the adjacent Via Paleocapa, though funding for that improvement has not yet been allocated in the current budget cycle.