Constructing the Distrito Tecnológico: The Effect of Government and Media Discourse on Neighborhood Change in Parque Patricios, Buenos Aires

Abstract

The Distrito Tecnológico (DT) was an economic district located in the Parque Patricios neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It was created through the passing of Law 2972 which laid out different tax incentives and benefits for Information Technology and Communication companies (TIC) who moved their operations to the economic district. Since its creation, the government and media have focused on the economic benefits that the DT has brought to the city of Buenos Aires, specifically the southern zone. They have touted the large number of companies who have moved in, bringing investment dollars with them. Additionally, the government has invested millions in public funds to help with the development of the neighborhood. The extension of the Línea H Subte line and the creation of the Metrobus Sur corridor are two examples of the public expenditure that has aimed at improving the services available in Parque Patricios. While the discourse promoted by the government and mainstream media views all of these changes and the flows of investment into the neighborhood as a positive thing, the negative effects that the DT is having on Parque Patricios seems to be relatively absent. This thesis will conglomerate scholarly literature on gentrification, mobility, and development and will place the DT within this context. This discussion will be compared to the dialogue being promoted by the government and the mainstream media sources. This thesis will demonstrate how the pro-investment discourse has led to an erasure of the industrial and working-class neighborhood that existed prior to the DT.