Reimagining Bucharest’s Central Station: PPP and Air Rights as Tools for Metropolitan Integration

Liviu-Gabriel Baicu

doi:10.31127/tuje.1967768

Reimagining Bucharest’s Central Station: PPP and Air Rights as Tools for Metropolitan Integration

Abstract

Railway-station redevelopment is increasingly associated with transit-oriented development, land-value capture, and metropolitan regeneration, yet post-socialist station areas remain insufficiently examined through an integrated spatial, operational, and financing lens. This paper addresses that gap through a scenario-based case study of the Gara de Nord (Bucharest’s North Train Station)–Basarab rail complex in Bucharest (GN-B). The study combines GIS-based spatial diagnosis, node–place assessment of Bucharest–Ilfov rail stations, purposive stakeholder interviews, survey evidence, and a seven-criterion multi-criteria analysis comparing six redevelopment scenarios (S0–S5). Results indicate that the train stations complex performs as a highly strategic transport node but remains weakly integrated as an urban place. The preferred comprehensive scenario combines station modernization, intermodal restructuring, decking over parts of the railway yard, mixed-use air-rights development, public-space creation, and phased PPP delivery. The paper argues that PPPs and air rights can support station-led regeneration in Bucharest only if embedded in transparent governance, public coordination, explicit value-capture rules, and social safeguards.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Transportation and Traffic

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Liviu-Gabriel Baicu ^*
0009-0001-7315-9990
Romania

Publication Date

October 16, 2026

Submission Date

June 10, 2026

Acceptance Date

July 20, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 10 Number: 4

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31127/tuje.1967768

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA38WL89EC

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Baicu, L.-G. (2026). Reimagining Bucharest’s Central Station: PPP and Air Rights as Tools for Metropolitan Integration. Turkish Journal of Engineering, 10(4), 1328-1338. https://doi.org/10.31127/tuje.1967768

AMA

1.Baicu LG. Reimagining Bucharest’s Central Station: PPP and Air Rights as Tools for Metropolitan Integration. TUJE. 2026;10(4):1328-1338. doi:10.31127/tuje.1967768

Chicago

Baicu, Liviu-Gabriel. 2026. “Reimagining Bucharest’s Central Station: PPP and Air Rights As Tools for Metropolitan Integration”. Turkish Journal of Engineering 10 (4): 1328-38. https://doi.org/10.31127/tuje.1967768.

EndNote

Baicu L-G (October 1, 2026) Reimagining Bucharest’s Central Station: PPP and Air Rights as Tools for Metropolitan Integration. Turkish Journal of Engineering 10 4 1328–1338.

IEEE

[1]L.-G. Baicu, “Reimagining Bucharest’s Central Station: PPP and Air Rights as Tools for Metropolitan Integration”, TUJE, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 1328–1338, Oct. 2026, doi: 10.31127/tuje.1967768.

ISNAD

Baicu, Liviu-Gabriel. “Reimagining Bucharest’s Central Station: PPP and Air Rights As Tools for Metropolitan Integration”. Turkish Journal of Engineering 10/4 (October 1, 2026): 1328-1338. https://doi.org/10.31127/tuje.1967768.

JAMA

1.Baicu L-G. Reimagining Bucharest’s Central Station: PPP and Air Rights as Tools for Metropolitan Integration. TUJE. 2026;10:1328–1338.

MLA

Baicu, Liviu-Gabriel. “Reimagining Bucharest’s Central Station: PPP and Air Rights As Tools for Metropolitan Integration”. Turkish Journal of Engineering, vol. 10, no. 4, Oct. 2026, pp. 1328-3, doi:10.31127/tuje.1967768.

Vancouver

1.Liviu-Gabriel Baicu. Reimagining Bucharest’s Central Station: PPP and Air Rights as Tools for Metropolitan Integration. TUJE. 2026 Oct. 1;10(4):1328-3. doi:10.31127/tuje.1967768