GENOA – Cospe to transform the Mira Lanza area
Source: L’Eco di Bergamo
A key area of Genoa, an ambitious project, and a company that kept growing even during the pandemic: Cospe, based in San Paolo d’Argon, will lead the redevelopment of the former industrial site that once housed the historic detergent manufacturer Mira Lanza—famous for the Ava brand and beloved TV commercials featuring Calimero and the Dutch Girl—which went bankrupt in the late 1980s.
The site, owned by the Pegaso fund (Bank of Italy), has been abandoned for more than 35 years, steadily falling into disrepair. Recently, following a public tender, the Bergamo-based construction company acquired the area for approximately €9.5 million, and is now planning the future of Valpolcevera—a well-known district in the Ligurian capital, close to the former Morandi Bridge, the port, and the airport. It’s a strategic location in a city traditionally short on commercial and service spaces.
“I believe this project could mark a major step forward in the history of our company,” says Alberto Pezzotta, sole director of Cospe. “For the city council as well, our arrival represents a turning point—after 35 years of neglect in this central area of Genoa. We’re considering various options, as the site covers 40,000 square metres: it could host offices, logistics warehouses, small industrial facilities, or public services for the neighbourhood. But for now, it’s still too early to say. The most urgent task is to present our development plan to the City of Genoa. It’s a major investment—at least €30 million.”
If the necessary permits are granted—the company is currently in regular talks with the City of Genoa—“construction could start this autumn,” Pezzotta explains. “It will be preceded, over the summer, by demolition and site remediation works. We aim to complete the entire project by the end of 2023.”
Cospe currently employs 50 staff members and collaborates with about 200 external professionals. Specialised in construction, the company has continued to grow—even during the pandemic. “In 2020,” Pezzotta notes, “we reached €54 million in revenue, up 20% from the previous year. Our 2021 order book was worth more than the year before, with further growth on the horizon. As a general contractor, we deliver residential, industrial, and hospitality projects, as well as renovations across Italy. We also provide maintenance services.”
Among Cospe’s recent projects are the new Italtrans logistics hub in Nichelino (Turin), the renovation of the Grand Hotel Portovenere, and the Life Source Hotel in Bergamo, near the hospital. The large-scale Genoa project may also lead to new hires: “There’s still room to grow our team,” says Pezzotta. “Over the last three years, as revenue increased, our workforce has already doubled.”
Once construction is completed, Cospe plans to either sell or lease the redeveloped properties. “It’s an exciting challenge,” Pezzotta adds. “Even Genoa’s mayor, Marco Bucci, said he trusts Bergamo-based companies, having seen how some of them contributed on the front lines to rebuilding the Morandi Bridge. We’re inspired by Atalanta: for us, rebuilding the Mira Lanza area is like playing in the Champions League—a chance to show our values of quality, efficiency, and safety. Sustainability is key too: that’s why we’ll carry out this project using green technologies.”
