In January 2025, a fire partially destroyed the famous Camelódromo da Uruguaiana, in the city center. This Monday, May 5, Rio de Janeiro City Hall announced a project to completely revitalize the space, with the aim of transforming it into one of the largest popular shopping hubs in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Find out more about the project!
The aim is to improve safety for traders and the general public
The fire at the beginning of the year exposed the lack of security and structure at the Camelódromo da Uruguaiana. Therefore, the new project’s main objective is to make the environment safer not only for the traders who work there, but also for the public who visit the space.
To this end, according to the proposal presented by the City Hall and the Municipal Infrastructure Department, the idea is to demolish the existing market and re-urbanize the entire surrounding area with the creation of a boulevard that will connect Uruguaiana and Presidente Vargas streets , to encourage pedestrian circulation and promote greater integration with the urban space.
According to the Infrastructure Secretary, Wanderson Santos,
With this format, we will be able to take into account the region’s heritage sites. Not to mention that we will have […] a modern fire prevention system in line with the Fire Brigade’s legislation.
The changes to the new Uruguaiana street market
There will be many changes to the new Uruguaiana street market. Starting with the architecture, with a modern metal structure, distributed over a first floor and three mezzanine floors.
The first floor has boxes organized in rows with identification, as well as two food courts, toilets and loading and unloading areas. Also on the first floor is an anchor store with direct access from the two main roads.
The three mezzanines extend into the space as suspended counters and offer a panoramic view from the first floor.
There are also plans for more boxes and toilets on the mezzanines, and the second will have external balconies facing Uruguaiana and Presidente Vargas streets, ensuring cross-ventilation and visual integration with the surroundings.
Another significant change is that, in addition to the new building, the project includes 10,000 square meters of redevelopment in the surrounding area. This means more accessible sidewalks, natural ventilation systems, efficient lighting, among other improvements.
The work will be divided into phases and is expected to take 16 months
All these changes take time – and money! That’s why the tender to choose the company responsible for carrying out the project is scheduled for June 9.
In addition, the work will be carried out in four phases, over 16 months, so that the market can continue to function during the process. The budget is around R$84 million.