The Maratona tower has to be fully replaced
In the most predictable news of the century, we’ve got another delay on the Franchi construction.
So long, big fella. | Touring Club Italiano/Marka/Universal Images Group via Getty Images The refurbishment of the Stadio Artemio Franchi continues apace. As you’d expect for any construction project of this scale, there are delays, many resulting from decades of neglect.
This morning, Letizia Perini (the local official in charge of sports and one of the city’s closet liaisons with the team) reported on the latest issue. After assembling the scaffolding around the Torre di Maratona, workers have discovered that it’s even more messed up than expected and will need to be completely rebuilt. The 70 meter (230 ft) monolith above its namesake stand, the Tribuna di Maratona, might be the Franchi’s most iconic component, a trademark feature that fans associate with the stadium just as much as the helicoidal stairs (equal to the San Siro’s more famous examples) or the sinking feeling of disappointment that comes with watching Fiorentina.
That disappointment will doubtless be amplified as architects and engineers study the tower to ensure they maintain the spirit and function of Pier Luigi Nervi’s vision without running afoul of the labyrinthine permitting process that’s dogged this project for decades. Perini didn’t provide a timetable for this inspection, citing the need for expert evaluation before putting a date on anything. My guess is that this will push the overall completion date of the refurbishment back by another couple months but that’s based on my passing familiarity with construction projects and Italian bureaucracy than any understanding of the actual work required.
Perini concluded her statement with a crisp, “Of course we’re trying to do everything as fast as possible. In general, the discussions have been going on for some time now and the municipal administration is acting in a fully correct manner. I hope that nobody wants to insinuate certain things,” which I took as evidence of the city’s sensitivity to the narrative that it’s dragged its feet on the construction for years.