The redevelopment of the cross-border area launched as part of the GO! 2025 European Capital of Culture project continues to move forward. The EGTC GO has completed the tender procedure for the award of works on the so-called "Lot 2", concerning the functional and landscape redevelopment of the cross-border strip located between Transalpina/Europe Square and the Via San Gabriele border crossing on the Italian side. Following a site inspection last week by the successful contractor and EGTC GO technicians, construction works are expected to begin in the coming weeks, once the remaining administrative procedures have been completed.

The contract was awarded to SPIGA S.r.l. of Tolmezzo, which ranked first in the negotiated procedure launched by EGTC GO. The company submitted a bid with an 8.70% discount on the tendered works, resulting in a total contract value of €474,491.56, including €330,515.87 for construction works, €129,214.80 for labour costs, and €14,760.89 for safety-related expenses.

The project forms part of the broader redevelopment programme for the GO! 2025 cross-border area, which in recent years has already seen the transformation of Transalpina/Europe Square and the Fabiani Trident. More specifically, the new intervention includes the construction of a parking area on the Italian side near Via dei Catterini, the redevelopment of the cross-border green belt, the installation of new urban furniture and amenities, including benches, bicycle racks, litter bins and a public drinking fountain, as well as improvements to public lighting. The project also includes the enhancement of the site's historical features, the preservation of the green area south of the square, the relocation of part of the historic border fence to help the many visitors understand the area's past, and the installation of the infrastructure needed to host small-scale outdoor events and activities.

Particular attention will be paid to preserving the site's historical memory. Following the removal of the border fence in 2022, the low wall that served as its base remained as a visible trace of the border between Italy and Slovenia. The project envisages preserving and enhancing this structure as an element of "active memory": no longer a barrier of separation, but a testimony to the history of this territory and the starting point for a new public space shared by the two cities.

The total investment amounts to €800,000 and is financed through the 2021-2027 ERDF Regional Programme of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, within the framework of initiatives linked to the Urban Agenda and the infrastructural legacy of GO! 2025.

The area affected by the works completes the strategic interventions aimed at transforming the cross-border area, which have been launched and managed not only by GECT GO but also by the municipalities of Gorizia and Nova Gorica, each within their respective areas of responsibility. These include the redevelopment of the Corno Creek, the transformation of Transalpina/Europe Square and the Fabiani Trident, completed during the first part of 2025, as well as the redevelopment of the entire railway area, from the underpass connecting the square with the centre of Nova Gorica to the construction of the EPICenter. With this additional milestone, an integrated system of public spaces is taking shape, strengthening both the physical and symbolic connection between Gorizia and Nova Gorica and leaving a tangible legacy that will endure beyond the European Capital of Culture year.