Historical Centers: sustainable economic spaces, management for sustainable projects

Historical centers have the potential to unite: different cultures, architectonic and intangible patrimony, goods and services formally and informally produced, financial capitals, different levels of salaries and rents, real estate investment and patrimonial renovation projects, amongst others. This paper studies, in the context of equity and sustainability objectives of city management, the degree of economic \“factor” insertion in diverse areas and activities in historical centers. Methodologically, it presents the main factors and issues that constitute challenges for sustainable urban management and proposes a necessary strategy for public policy coordination and investment in city centers. The main objective is to delineate a sustainable city urban management in terms of its elements, parameters and instruments. This strategy responds to public sector demands regarding management options that could balance the growth and equity in the historical centers of cities. Some questions that arise in this context are: is there a relation between the economic dimension of historical centers and the social equity and inclusiveness in urban society in the framework of sustainability? Is the search for equity in Latin America and the Caribbean cities the economic management approach in historical centers? In management terms, how do institutions deal with the concepts of center and centrality? The discussion and analysis of the economic dimension of historical centers in Latin America and the Caribbean and their corresponding potential for urban development and equity will be synthesized based on tendencies, and will build a framework for sustainable urban projects for historical centers in this region. Keywords: historical center, strategic and sustainable urban management, regional sustainable urban agenda, Latin America and the Caribbean.