Prosecutors seek arrests as part of sprawling investigation into Milan skyscraper boom

Prosecutors are seeking the arrest of developer Manfredi Catella and Milan city council member Giancarlo Tancredi for bribery related to the city's skyscraper boom over the past decade.

Prosecutors in the city are looking to arrest Catella, who is the founder of Italian developer Coima, and council member Tancredi as part of an investigation into the abuse of fast-track planning applications.

A judge is set to decide on whether to issue the house arrest warrants later this week.

In response to the investigation, Catella said in a statement issued to Dezeen that Coima had hired architect Alessandro Scandurra, who was on the city council's landscape committee, to design a project. However, they did not believe that this influenced the council's decision to approve the project.

"Given the architect's role as one of the 11 members of the City of Milan's landscape commission until 2024, it is assumed that the professional assignment may have influenced the professional's conduct on the commission regarding projects promoted by our company," said Catella.

"We have promptly provided all information requested and conducted internal checks to confirm compliance, which we will be able to solidly substantiate. Transparency and legality are fundamental to our group and to all of us, and we will be able to resolutely affirm this in this circumstance as well."

Over 100 sites stalled as part of investigation

Numerous high-profile Italian architects are also named as part of the investigation, including Stefano Boeri. The Milanese prosecutors are not currently seeking to place any of these architects under house arrest.

The latest requests form part of a sprawling investigation into large-scale development in the city, which has boomed since the Milan Expo 2015.

The investigation centres around alleged abuses in the issuing of fast-track building permits for skyscrapers, which contributed to the construction boom over the past decade.

As part of the investigation, judges have seized three building sites, while work on 100  building sites has reportedly stalled.

Developer Coima has been a driving force in the development of the city, including the redevelopment of the Porta Nuova industrial area.

The investigation into Boeri relates to protests over the rejection of the Torre Botanica, which was designed in collaboration with American studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

"I am convinced that my firm and I acted correctly regarding a building (the so-called Botanical Tower part of the project Pirelli39) that, as is well known, was long ago decided not to build," said Boeri in a statement.

"I trust that the judicial authorities will soon ascertain my complete innocence in the improprieties accused of me."

Numerous corruption investigations taking place

The investigations began after authorities received more than 100 complaints related to the fast-track permit abused from citizens and residents associations, according to Reuters.

The potential arrests form the latest stage in a series of investigations into the spate of construction happening in the city.

Earlier this year a judge placed Giovanni Oggioni, who is the head of the city body that approves building projects, under house arrest on charges of bribery, forgery and deception, reported Reuters.

Another investigation earlier this year saw Boeri and Italian architect Cino Zucchi accused of colluding in the commissioning of a major library in Milan.

Prosecutors sought house arrest for the pair. However, a judge spared them from house arrest and banned them from judging competitions.

"I am extremely relieved with the decision taken by judge Iannelli to deny the request for me to be placed under house arrest," Boeri told Dezeen at the time.

"This decision means that I will be able to continue my work as an architect and also to complete both my duties as president of the Triennale and as a professor at the Milan Politecnico," he added.

The photo is courtesy of Shutterstock.

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