On the eve of São Paulo’s 471st anniversary, celebrated this Saturday (25), the state government is advancing the city’s most significant downtown transformation project in years. Residents are being invited to share feedback on the plan to relocate the São Paulo State Government headquarters to the Campos Elíseos neighborhood, where a new administrative center will be built. The public consultation began this Friday (24) and will remain open until February 26, allowing for suggestions and clarification requests through the website of the Secretariat for Partnerships in Investments.
The architectural design for the new administrative center was selected through one of the largest design competitions in Brazil, with architects from across the country participating. The winning firm was Ópera Quatro Arquitetura. Watch the video showing a rendering of the future complex in the central region:
“The city center is beginning to revive with new investments already underway, increased police presence in the region, and support services for those in need. São Paulo deserves to reclaim its history. Revitalizing and transforming this area is one of the greatest legacies we can leave—and it will come with the new administrative center,” said Governor Tarcísio de Freitas.
The revitalization project includes transforming Parque Princesa Isabel and the surrounding area with more green spaces and new buildings to house state secretariats, foundations, and agencies, as well as restoring historic buildings. Currently, the São Paulo government employs over 22,000 people spread across 60 different buildings throughout the capital. Centralizing these operations will improve administrative efficiency and optimize public resources. Alongside structural changes, the government has increased policing in the area, launched a care hub for people with substance dependency, and expanded housing initiatives.
“The São Paulo Administrative Center will drive downtown revitalization, bringing investment, modern infrastructure, and new economic energy. This project combines efficient public management with business attraction in an area that needs to be reimagined, delivering a positive impact that goes beyond buildings,” said Rafael Benini, Secretary for Partnerships in Investments.
Urban transformation
The new administrative center project includes wider sidewalks, active frontages, and new public-use areas, encouraging pedestrian activity and the opening of shops that can operate during the day, at night, and on weekends. Plans include spaces for retail, services, restaurants, cafés, and communal areas in addition to government offices.
“This intervention carries the weight of the State Government. It is the largest urban intervention in Brazil in recent decades, second only to Brasília. We held a public design competition to create an administrative center that is not distant from the city, but rather embedded in its heart. We are moving 22,000 employees there—people who will need restaurants and services—stimulating regional development,” said Guilherme Afif Domingos, Secretary for Strategic Projects.
The Campos Elíseos Administrative Center project has been qualified under the São Paulo State Partnership Program (PPI-SP). It will be executed and managed through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), with a 30-year term. The auction is expected to take place later this year.
The first step toward relocating the government hub occurred in September, when the Department of Justice and Citizenship began moving into the Palácio dos Campos Elíseos, a historic building located on Avenida Rio Branco in central São Paulo. This department is the oldest in the São Paulo state government, established in 1892.
Public safety
Over the past two years, the central region of São Paulo has received 400 additional police officers and four new Military Police Community Bases. Additionally, in partnership with São Paulo’s city government, the “Operação Delegada” initiative—targeting illegal street vending—has opened 1,300 temporary positions for officers to reinforce security during their off hours.
Data from the city’s 1st Police Precinct show a reduction in criminal incidents from January to November 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. General robbery cases dropped from 23,015 to 16,631 (down 27.74%), and thefts decreased from 62,411 to 51,600 (down 17.32%). In 23 months of administration, 12,500 arrests have been made and 5.6 tons of drugs seized in downtown São Paulo.
Healthcare
The São Paulo State Government’s Care Hub for Crack and Other Drugs is one of the current administration’s key initiatives to provide comprehensive treatment and recovery for individuals facing chemical dependency and homelessness in the city’s open drug use scenes. Since opening in April 2023, the facility has carried out 47,661 general appointments, averaging 74 per day. In total, 27,403 patients have been screened and assisted.
“The HUB is a public facility that has already proven its effectiveness, providing essential support for addiction treatment. Our main goal goes beyond reducing substance use—we aim to restore autonomy, independence, and dignity to these individuals,” said Vice Governor Felicio Ramuth, who also coordinates the state’s integrated actions for addressing open drug scenes in the central region.
Housing
The government is also carrying out complementary initiatives to promote development in the central area and ensure housing solutions for residents in blocks affected by the project.
Among the housing initiatives underway is the PPP for Central Area Revitalization, which aims to repopulate a well-connected area with strong public infrastructure but low residential density. The plan includes the delivery of around 6,000 housing units. New public facilities will also be built, along with public infrastructure improvements such as new sidewalks, bike lanes, and footbridges.
“We are implementing several initiatives that together aim to bring residents to an area with strong transportation and service infrastructure but few current inhabitants. We want to foster income diversity—from resettling vulnerable individuals to welcoming higher-income families—to diversify commerce and services for all population segments. This income mix supports activity and public space use at all hours, promoting revitalization through everyday urban life,” said Marcelo Cardinale Branco, Secretary for Urban Development and Housing of São Paulo.
Another important action to increase central São Paulo’s residential density is the call for proposals by CDHU to procure housing units in neighborhoods such as Bom Retiro, Sé, Liberdade, Brás, and Consolação. A total of 2,500 new housing units will be delivered in the expanded downtown area.
In addition, 292 units from the first PPP for downtown São Paulo will be delivered this semester. Another 460 apartments are scheduled to be built by 2027.