Street Furniture, Waste Management, and Public Space

• Street Furniture: An independent project was developed for the standardized design and selection of benches, lighting posts, kiosks, and trash receptacles.

• Waste Management and Recycling: Architect Grisel Mercadante structured an alliance between the Municipal Institute of Urban Cleaning (IMAU) and the local foundation El Zulia Recicla, aiming to optimize waste collection by integrating recycling methodologies.

Zone 3 (Gourmet Axis)

Specific attention was given to "Zone 3" (streets 3H, 3F, etc.), the district's gastronomic core. Through a participatory civic approach, the area was geographically delimited, comprehensive signage was implemented, and a unified brand identity was created. The merchants in this sector achieved such a level of organizational maturity that they formed a sub-directive body capable of influencing the foundation's general policies.

Parking Management

Capitalizing on the road redesign, the inclusion of regulated parking spaces via parking meters was maximized. This initiative had a dual purpose: to generate self-financing sources for the foundation and to provide vehicular security. For the latter, the training and formal salaried employment of informal car watchers already operating in the area was planned.

Plaza Fomento Project

The absorption of a plot of land with legal irregularities was projected for the construction of a three-level building (two underground and one upper plaza/terrace). The complex would house:

1. Upper Level: A roofed and tree-lined public plaza.

2. First Basement: A cultural center (library, theater, amphitheater), the new headquarters of the foundation, and an Urban Monitoring Center (CCTV interconnected with the fire and police departments) conceived as a pilot model for the city.

3. Second Basement: Underground parking.

Comprehensive Security Plan

Technical studies demonstrated the inefficiency of the pre-existing surveillance model, where multiple private security guards confined themselves to the interiors of their respective stores, ignoring the public space. The new model proposed:

• Optimization and Financing: Replacing costly individual contracting with a system of collective quotas dedicated exclusively to the protection of the boulevard.

• Coordinated Territorial Deployment: Assigning one fixed agent per block along the roadway, organized under a private security corporation with specialized training and a direct liaison with the municipal police.

Complementary Initiatives

• Road Monument: Construction of an honorary boulevard on the steep slopes of the descent toward El Milagro Avenue.

• Property Recovery: Intervention in abandoned or municipal buildings, such as the case of the former Maracaibo Bingo.

• "Tear Down the Fence" (Derriba la cerca): A neighborhood incentive program aimed at restoring civic trust, encouraging property owners to visually and spatially integrate their facades toward the boulevard.

Strategic Alliances and Organizational Structure

The project enjoyed institutional backing from the Maracaibo Mayor's Office and diplomatic attention (such as from the US Ambassador, who provided comparative models). For technical development, agreements were signed with local universities, guaranteeing a rotating team of interns under the supervision of the project coordination team.

Public entities assigned direct technical personnel: the municipal transit authority (IMTCUMA) provided an on-site engineer for the road redesign, while other municipal departments advised on electrical and operational areas.

Internally, the headquarters was established on 5 de Julio Avenue itself (initially in a space donated ad honorem and later fully equipped through financing from BOD Bank). The institutional structure included a strategic board of directors and an operational core led by Jesús Lombardi (President) and Luis González (Director of Projects). The figure of the project coordinator (the original author of this memoir) was integrated into this team, serving as the main deputy to the director, complemented by industrial engineering specialists and outstanding administrative staff.

Causes for the Cessation of Operations

The project's viability was compromised from its inception by a legislative framework that delegated fundraising to the foundation itself, through non-mandatory tax contributions. This administrative complexity limited financing, securing regular support only from Zone 3 merchants. The optimal solution would have required centralized and mandatory withholding by the municipal authority.

This structural deficiency became irreversible in the face of the national socio-political juncture (events of 2013-2014, protests, and damage to urban infrastructure), which prompted the resignation of the project coordinator. Additionally, the legal framework established a conditional 5-year concession. By the end of this period, efforts had concentrated on organization, technical design, conceptual structuring, and cosmetic improvements (tree planting, lighting), without achieving the execution of the structural road and mobility public works. Due to the failure to meet the material execution deadlines, the concession automatically expired, leading to the definitive closure of the institution the following year.

Conclusion and Future Vision

Despite the interruption of the project, the documented experience represents an invaluable milestone in local urban planning. The author of the present analysis emphasizes their appreciation for professionals like Luis González Macchi and Jesús Lombardi for their technical contributions. Finally, a professional interest is established in resuming this proposal or integrating into similar planning projects alongside the aforementioned technical team, once the city of Maracaibo recovers the favorable conditions for its urban execution.