Calle del Cartucho: The Hidden Memory of the Bronx and the Rebirth of the Bronx Distrito Creativo

From 'Cartucho' to 'Bronx Distrito Creativo': The Transformation of an Urban Icon

Between 9th and 10th streets with 15th avenue, in the heart of downtown Bogotá, something that seemed impossible happened: the most dangerous place in Colombia became a magnet for artists, tourists, and the curious. The old Bronx, known in its worst years as "Calle del Cartucho," is now an urban laboratory where memory wasn't erased but transformed into murals, workshops, and stages. This is the story of how a territory marked by violence found a second chance, and how you can walk its streets today without fear, but with respect.

Origins: From Residential Neighborhood to Red-Light District

To understand the current Bronx, you have to go back more than a century. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this area of downtown Bogotá was a middle-class residential neighborhood, with two-story republican houses, inner courtyards, and wooden balconies. Its proximity to the Las Cruces market square and the old Estación de la Sabana made it a mandatory stop for peasants arriving in the city.

The decline began in the 1940s, when bipartisan violence displaced thousands of people from the countryside to Bogotá. The stately mansions became tenements and transient boarding houses. By the 60s and 70s, the area was already known as a "red-light district" where bars, brothels, and gambling dens were concentrated. The neighbors who could, left. Those who stayed learned to coexist with an environment that became increasingly dense and hostile.

The name "Cartucho" has several theories. The most accepted one says it comes from the dynamite cartridges used in the nearby quarries south of the city. Another, less poetic version, claims it was the name street dwellers gave to their own territory, as a nod to the word "cartuchera" (pencil case), where they kept their belongings. What is certain is that by the 80s, the name was already embedded in Bogotá's collective imagination as a synonym for extreme danger.

Timeline: Milestones of a Painful History

1980-1990: The Cartucho Era

In this decade, the Cartucho consolidated itself as Bogotá's largest retail drug market. The economic crisis, drug trafficking, and violence from the Medellín and Cali cartels turned this block into a hell of micro-trafficking, consumption, and hired killings. It is estimated that at its worst, more than 5,000 people lived crammed into its streets, many displaced by violence, many others users of bazuco, a low-cost, highly addictive coca paste.

The "ollas" (as drug selling points were called) operated in broad daylight. Authorities carried out periodic raids, but the problem moved from block to block, like a stain the city didn't know how to clean. The press of the time documented scenes that seemed like war: decomposing bodies among trash, orphaned children wandering, and a smell of urine and burnt plastic that could be felt three blocks away.

1998-2003: The Bronx Takes Over

With the partial demolition of the Cartucho to build Tercer Milenio Park (inaugurated in 2000), the problem shifted two blocks north, to 10th street between 15th and 15A avenues. That area, known as "El Bronx" by street dwellers, became the new epicenter of micro-trafficking and violence. The park, which aimed to be a green lung in downtown, ended up being an ironic reminder: it was built over the memory of a place the city preferred to forget.

In 2012, Semana magazine published a report that shook the country: "Los niños del Bronx" (The Children of the Bronx). The article revealed that in the basement of a building known as "El Hueco" or "La Pared," atrocious crimes against minors were committed. The discovery of mass graves, human remains, and survivor testimonies generated enormous social pressure on the government of then-mayor Gustavo Petro.

May 28, 2016: The Intervention

That dawn, 2,500 police officers and District officials entered the Bronx with tanks and heavy machinery. The operation, called "Renacer" (Rebirth), was broadcast live on television. The images showed underground tunnels, secret passageways, and walls lined with photographs of missing persons. It is estimated that at the time of the intervention, there were around 4,000 people in the area, including street dwellers, users, micro-traffickers, and, most shockingly, dozens of children and adolescents who were being exploited.

The Bronx was almost completely demolished in the following months. The historic houses still standing were torn down with excavators, leaving a vacant lot of 21,000 square meters in the heart of the city. For three years, that urban void was an uncomfortable reminder that the solution wasn't just to demolish, but to build something new on the ashes.

2019-2023: The Bronx Distrito Creativo Takes Shape

In 2019, Enrique Peñalosa's administration announced an ambitious project: turning the lot into a "Distrito Creativo" (Creative District) that would house cultural industries, startups, and public spaces. The design, led by the Bogotá architecture firm Colectivo 720, sought to integrate the memory of the place with new dynamics. Instead of a traditional park, 13 buildings dedicated to the orange economy were planned: fashion workshops, recording studios, movie theaters, galleries, and coworking spaces.

The first phase was inaugurated in 2022, with the opening of the Cinemateca de Bogotá and the central plaza. In 2023, the first workshops and commercial spaces were added. The project has not been without criticism: some academics and social leaders question that investment was concentrated on physical infrastructure rather than inclusion programs for the street-dwelling population that was relocated. Others, however, celebrate that a space that generated death now generates employment and culture.

Key Figures and Events: The Voices that Marked the Transition

Father Javier de Nicoló

This Italian Salesian priest, founder of the Servicio Juvenil Foundation, worked for decades with the youth of the Cartucho and the Bronx. His work, low-profile but constant, consisted of offering life alternatives through bakery, carpentry, and technical training workshops. Many of those who are now social leaders in downtown Bogotá went through his programs. De Nicoló passed away in 2017, but his legacy lives on in the foundation's work.

The Memory of the "Hueco"

The basement on 10th street with 15A avenue, known as "El Hueco" (The Hole), became the symbol of the Bronx's horror. Subsequent investigations revealed that a human trafficking network operated there, kidnapping, raping, and murdering minors. The site was sealed and later demolished. Today, in its place, stands a collective mural honoring the memory of the victims. The artists who painted it, many of them street dwellers in rehabilitation, included the phrase: "Here we don't forget, here we transform."

The Artists of the Rebirth

Since 2017, a collective called "La Libélula" began intervening the walls of the vacant lot with large-format murals. Their works, which blend pre-Columbian aesthetics with urban graffiti, transformed the visual perception of the place. Today, more than 30 murals cover the facades of the Bronx Distrito Creativo buildings, making it one of the largest street art galleries in Bogotá.

One of the most recognized artists is DJ Lu, a Bogotá native who grew up two blocks from the Bronx and now has his music production studio in the Creative District. In an interview with a local outlet, he said: "From my window, I used to see fires being set at three in the morning. Now I see the workshop lights turning on at nine in the morning. It's a different world, but the memory is here, in the bricks."

Current Status: What It's Like to Experience the Bronx Distrito Creativo in August 2026

Today, the Bronx Distrito Creativo is a space in full effervescence. The central plaza, named Plazoleta de la Memoria (Memory Plaza), welcomes hundreds of visitors daily. The exposed-brick buildings, designed with sustainable architecture criteria, house more than 40 cultural ventures. Here are some of the spaces you can find:

• Cinemateca de Bogotá: The main headquarters of the district cinematheque, with three screening rooms, a media library, and a terrace overlooking downtown. Programming includes Colombian cinema, retrospectives, and international festivals. General admission costs around $8,000 COP (reference prices as of August 2026).
• Sustainable Fashion Workshops: Several emerging designer ventures have their workshops open to the public. You can see how garments are made from recycled materials and buy unique pieces. Prices vary, but you'll find t-shirts from $40,000 COP.
• Recording Studios: There are two music studios offering production sessions for local artists. Some offer guided tours on weekends.
• Urban Art Gallery: A rotating exhibition space showcasing the work of artists who have participated in the district's murals. Admission is free.
• Food Plaza: On the corner of 15th avenue and 10th street, there's an area with food trucks and small restaurants offering everything from traditional Colombian food (ajiaco, bandeja paisa) to vegan options. An executive lunch costs between $15,000 and $25,000 COP.

The district has also integrated spaces of memory. In the main building, there's a permanent exhibition called "Lo que el Bronx nos dejó" (What the Bronx Left Us), featuring photographs, personal objects recovered from the ruins, and video testimonies from survivors. It's a moving experience you shouldn't miss if you want to understand the complexity of the place.

Safety: What You Should Know Before You Go

The Bronx Distrito Creativo is, in general, a safe place during the day. Police presence is constant and there are surveillance cameras throughout the perimeter. However, as in any area of downtown Bogotá, it's important to take precautions:

• Visit during daytime hours: Most workshops and galleries open from 9am to 6pm. After 7pm, the area empties out and there's not much activity. It's recommended to check hours before visiting, especially on Sundays.
• Don't carry valuables in plain sight: Phones and professional cameras should be put away when not in use.
• Use public transportation or private ride services: The nearest TransMilenio stations are Las Nieves (line B) or San Diego (line A), both about a 10-minute walk away. Taxis and ride-hailing apps will drop you off at the district's entrance.
• Stay in the main areas: Don't venture into the surrounding streets (15A avenue, 9th street) without a local guide. Although the situation has improved, there are still sectors with street dynamics that are not