Milan gives its railway stations a new lease of life: how disused infrastructure is being transformed into new neighborhoods

Long-term management,
combining the public and
private sectors

As the nerve center of Italian industry, Milan has had a substantial transport infrastructure since the 19th century. But as logistics were streamlined, many sites were closed. The seven scali ferroviari (railway yards) involved in the urban regeneration plan are all located at the interface between the heart of Milan and the radial corridors connecting the city to the Lombardy region. The miles of tracks and warehouses, some of which have been abandoned for decades, have long been considered physical and social barriers.

Their renaissance began in 2007, when the municipality of Milan promoted a Program Agreement with Ferrovie dello Stato SpA (FS Group, Italy’s public railway company) and the Lombardy region. A Territorial Government Plan was developed, accompanied by a strategic environmental assessment and public consultation phases prior to the ratification of the framework agreement in 2017.

The seven sites covered by the agreement have since progressed at different rates, depending on the partners and the approval of implementation plans. The size of each project (the sale of Scali Farini and San Cristoforo by FS Group to REDEUS Fund for €489.5 million was the largest in Italy in the last two years) has led to collaboration between Italian and international real estate developers.

The long time required for new neighborhoods to emerge can be an opportunity for experimentation. The Porta Genova station, which has been out of service since the end of 2025, is now home to the Social Hub, an initiative involving The Sanctuary, the municipality of Milan, FS Sistemi Urbani, and the Scalo Porta Genova association. The venue combines a restaurant, bar, coworking spaces, wellness area, and cultural events.

Places to live, work,
and create

The first implementation plan to be adopted by the City Council in December 2025 concerns the Scalo Greco-Breda for the L’Innesto (grafting) project, led by the Fondo Immobiliare di Lombardia – Comparto Uno, under the management of Redo SGR. The Breda marshalling yards, through which raw materials destined for the steelworks in Sesto San Giovanni passed, are being transformed into a neighborhood combining apartments, universities, services, and affordable housing in a green setting. Public spaces will be located on the ground floor to serve as the glue for a new community.

At Scalo di Porta Romana, a project bringing together Coima SGR, Covivio, and Prada Holding S.p.A., the transformation will be multifaceted. Thanks to a distribution of services, public squares and natural areas, green and retail spaces, the site will offer a vital space characterised by residential zones (in the west) and offices services and hospitality (in the east). 

Another example is Scalo Farini, which will house the new headquarters of the Unicredit banking group and a campus of the Brera Academy of Fine Arts. A neighborhood of 1,800 social housing units will be built, some of which will be subject to an option right by the municipality of Milan.

Green and
shared infrastructure

The projects share a strong ecological ambition, balancing the density of new construction with parks and public facilities.

The key element of the Scalo di Porta Romana redevelopment is a large park, which will provide a link to Milan’s city center. The 190,000 m² project will be an entirely pedestrian zone, with more than 50% dedicated to public green spaces. As for Innesto, it aims to be the first affordable housing neighborhood in Italy to achieve carbon neutrality.

Another example is Scalo Lambrate, which will see the creation of a 41,500-square-meter urban park, educational vegetable gardens, orchards, and community gardens. The areas will be connected by a system of three squares, designed to become places for meeting and socializing.

And what about mobility
in all this?

The scali ferroviari have not forgotten their transport heritage, and the framework agreement provides for measures and investments to strengthen Milan’s rail hub. The construction and adaptation of stations are on the agenda as part of a major circular line project.

Mobility (understood in a broad sense that includes public transport, roads, pedestrian and cycle areas) and accessibility play a crucial role in the overall regeneration strategy. The aim is to ensure continuity between the new neighborhoods and the existing urban fabric. For example, the Attraverso San Cristoforo (Through San Cristoforo) project in the Scalo of the same name is a cycle/pedestrian bridge that will connect Piazza Tirana, the park, a metro station on the M4 line, and two roads.

Quality of life, accessibility, ecology: the scali ferroviari illustrate how obsolete infrastructure can be transformed into an area of urban renewal. These are projects to watch, as the coming years will show how they will accompany Milan’s growth.