Chapter 7 of the volume takes a close look at the urban growth machine of Cluj-Napoca, emerging as a post-industrial “model city” based on economic restructuring toward high-value-added service sectors and investments in real estate.
The local governing structures that unify pluralistic interests in the city under the umbrella of growth politics, the transnational consultants and local or foreign investors and developers, and members of a creative class are the main actors of this neoliberal “success” story. They are also the winners of the local growth that transforms the city into a site for exceptional investments. The chapter highlights a few examples of urban regeneration projects on industrial sites and identifies the contradictions of a city trapped between the need to appear successful and the loss of affordability for the residents. The city’s cautionary tale reveals inquiries on “model cities” worldwide, especially in emerging economies, and raises awareness about the need for a progressive and equitable urban development that reassesses growth potential.