We are now a few months from the X hour, when the space occupied by the former Karma disco will reopen its doors in a completely different guise. In fact, the inauguration of the new Urban Park in Milan is expected for summer 2023, which will bring new life to the Porto di Mare area, an area that has already been greatly re-evaluated from the point of view of outdoor activities and things to to do, thanks to the recent opening of the Painting Milano Banzai and the Corvetto Adventure Park.
The ownership of the entire area, between now and the next 30 years, will be owned by the company Social Music City, owned by Sipal Spa, which was awarded a public tender by the municipality of Milan for the concession of surface rights for the whole area, with the aim of redeveloping it and bringing it back to life, as a concrete place of aggregation for young and old.
The urban redevelopment of Milan therefore sees a new piece of the puzzle. In addition, this project was born under the star of dialogue, so much so that all those involved have tried to table ideas, cues and observations. Even the residents, just like a real social inclusion project, will be involved: in fact, a series of meetings, conferences and visits to the structure are planned, so that they can actively contribute to the development of their neighborhood.
But what will be done on the ashes of the former Karma disco? The project involves the creation of an outdoor space for events and shows. It will include a tensile structure for live shows, an amphitheater, but also a 600 square meter area to be used as a market for zero km products managed by Coldiretti, a 3000 square meter park with lawns and trees, as well as a large outdoor swimming pool open and padel courts with changing rooms. Approximately 200 parking spaces are also planned, scattered throughout the area for greater practicality and functionality.
In all, a total area of 6100 square meters will be occupied. Everything will revolve around the theme of music and concerts, so much so that the Urban Park is also known among insiders as the “Music Park”. According to the official rumors of the municipality of Milan, in fact, the interventions will transform “dilapidated and disused structures, those that housed the ballroom with its external appurtenances, into a multidisciplinary complex that supports and enhances the vocation of the area as a music park “.
The works at the Urban Park proceed expeditiously, divided into lots. The demolition of the old Karma lasted for about a month during 2022, now it’s the turn of the construction of the new buildings. The goal is ambitious but achievable: to open for summer 2023 to give Milan a new wave of nightlife opportunities.
Karma nightclub
Milan’s Urban Park will rise on the ashes of the Karma discotheque, the largest discotheque in Milan, so large as to be divided in two. Permanently closed in 2017, a place of fun and perdition but also of social problems, among all the alleged association with the mafia clan of the Boyfriends, which led to a kidnapping in 2011. From there it was taken over and later reopened under the name Borgo del Tempo Perso, but it still had a short life, as it was closed again – this time forever – after a short time.
At Karma, during the heyday of the late 1990s and early 2000s, there were over two hundred people working on the busiest nights. It was the stage for internationally renowned DJs and show business stars: evenings of all kinds and for all tastes, however with the decline and closure of the area – already problematic – has seen an increase in degradation. However, all this seems to have been put behind us, thanks to the opening of the new Urban Park. Whether that’s true or not, we’ll find out next summer.
