Analysis of the impacts of urban regeneration in metropolitan areas in Turkey: The case of Istanbul Üsküdar Kirazlıtepe Project

The aim of this study is to analyze the effects of urban regeneration in Turkey's metropolitan areas. The study is based on the need to determine the requirements of a successful urban regeneration process by analyzing a comprehensive and multidimensional urban regeneration application in Turkey's disaster-prone areas, which are in the earthquake belt. The specific and focused starting point of the study is to identify how a successful urban regeneration model can be developed, considering that urban regeneration is the solution to the destructive effects of the expected Great İstanbul Earthquake. In this context, the Kirazlıtepe Urban Regeneration Project in Üsküdar, which is considered the best urban regeneration practice in İstanbul's disaster-prone areas, was examined, and an analysis was carried out using the Urban Regeneration Theory-based Urban Regeneration Evaluation Scale (URES) developed for this project. The study investigated whether this project exhibited a comprehensive structure in terms of economic, physical, environmental, social, and legal/managerial dimensions of urban regeneration, given that the Kirazlıtepe Urban Regeneration Project (KURP) was considered the best case study for the research. A mixed research method was used, where both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Quantitative research findings were obtained through household surveys, and qualitative research findings were obtained through interviews with the executives of the actors involved in the regeneration. At the end of the research, it was observed that this project revealed a comprehensive urban regeneration model, but there were significant deficiencies and problems in both the model and the urban regeneration structure in Turkey, and recommendations were developed to address these issues.