Rua da Carioca will be the city's new address for leisure, culture and gastronomy

Rio's mayor, Eduardo Paes, announced, this Saturday (16/08), the beginning of the redevelopment works on Rua da Carioca, in the Center, in continuation of the urban transformation process of the address on Reviver Rua da Cerveja – the city's first beer hub and new tourist spot for leisure, culture and gastronomy -, which has been stirring up the region since the arrival of the first five craft breweries.

The hub was created through the Municipal Department of Economic Development. The project will transform the public space with improvements that increase comfort, safety, and attractiveness for those who visit or do business there.

"We're making a very successful effort to restore our downtown area. Rua da Carioca is one of those iconic downtown streets, preserving the architecture of the past. And one of the initiatives is this Rua da Cerveja (Beer Street), which will lead to the establishment of several microentrepreneurs, microbreweries, and independent breweries. Now, we're going to begin work on renovating the public space, the streets, and the sidewalks. We're going to make this place even more pleasant. It will have distinctive paving, a more pedestrian-friendly environment. I think the revitalization experience of downtown Rio is already inspiring several other cities in Brazil, especially the capitals," said the mayor.

"We've taken another step toward revitalizing Rua da Carioca and boosting the local economy. With the street's redevelopment, we hope to attract not only locals but also domestic and international tourists, which will help boost the region's economy and, consequently, the city's," said Osmar Lima, Municipal Secretary of Economic Development.

With a project developed by the Department of Urban Development and Licensing, the works will last one year and will be executed by the Municipal Infrastructure Department. They include drainage and paving restoration, as well as accessibility improvements. More than 7,5 square meters of public space will be restored through these efforts. The project is estimated to cost R$2,9 million.

"We're going to make improvements to the sidewalk to enhance pedestrian access and the interaction between existing bars and future ones that will open here. We're also going to restore all the paving, lighting, and street furniture," said Municipal Infrastructure Secretary Wanderson Santos.

Beer Street

The project, dubbed Rua da Cerveja (Beer Street), aims to revive the charm and original purpose of Rua da Carioca, which for decades was a landmark for specialty shops and Rio's nightlife. The new ambiance has already boosted businesses linked to beer, gastronomy, and culture, while also preserving its historic heritage.

In total, nine breweries signed with the Rio City Hall, and five are already open. They are: Vírus Bier (number 55), Martelo Pagão and Piedade Cervejaria (numbers 76-74), as well as Tio Ruy and Búzios (numbers 17-15), which opened under the name Cotovelo, in a partnership between the owners and businessman Raphael Vidal.

"We need to understand that the history of this place is the great potential we have to bring back people's enchantment with the city center. It's all been here forever. We just need to relive what this place has always been," said Raphael Vidal, co-owner of the Cotovelo brewery.

– This brewing hub here in downtown Rio de Janeiro is important for bringing back jobs on Rua da Carioca – added Luiz Oliveira, owner of Cervejaria Vírus Bier.

Rua da Cerveja is part of the Reviver Centro initiatives, an urban, cultural, social and economic recovery plan for Rio's central region, which encourages the attraction of new residents and has already granted 57 licenses and generated 5.236 residential units.

The Reviver Cultural Center is also part of the set of initiatives to revitalize the region – with 43 artistic-cultural establishments, of which 37 are already open, in a perimeter very close to Rua da Carioca – and the Reviver Centro Patrimônio Pró-APAC, through which the municipality will subsidize the recovery of properties in a deteriorated state of conservation.

To boost Rua da Cerveja, the city government has provided financial subsidies to entrepreneurs ranging from R$1.000 per square meter for renovations and R$75 per square meter per month for expenses, with a cap for properties up to 200 square meters. The monthly payments will last for 30 months. With this strategy, Rua da Cerveja is expected to generate R$222 million in revenue over four years, generate a total payroll of R$41,8 million, and create approximately 500 new direct and indirect jobs.

In addition to strengthening the economy, the project also guarantees the preservation of historical heritage, as most of the properties on Rua da Carioca are listed by the Rio Heritage Institute (IRPH) and the State Institute of Cultural Heritage (INEPAC).