The opening of the new Human Company site is scheduled for April 2027
Human Company, alongside co-investor and developer Hines, a global real estate investment, development and management company, officially announced the start of the works for the construction of hu Eraclea village this morning: a new greenfield project combining innovation, sustainability, and local development, with opening scheduled for 2027.Located between the coastal pine forest of Eraclea Mare, the Laguna del Mort and the mouth of the Piave River, hu Eraclea village is a greenfield project intended to link the area's agricultural roots with the coastal pine forest, with the aim of enhancing and showcasing these two unique elements. An open-air tourist site with a naturalistic vocation, it is dedicated to achieving high-level objectives in terms of environmental sustainability, technological choices, implementation solutions, and architecture, which is strongly influenced by the environmental context and landscape. The tourist village was conceived as a true landscape architecture project, capable of combining anthropogenic elements with the natural qualities of the coastal pine forest and other coastal areas.
To make a project of this magnitude possible, Human Company secured investment from Hines, through a joint venture led by funds managed by Apollo ("Apollo"), one of the world's largest alternative asset managers, and Clessidra, a leading Italian private equity operator. Bringing its global experience to the Italian market, Hines will make a fundamental contribution in terms of the urban development and construction of the new sites, in addition to real estate knowledge. Clessidra, on the other hand, will provide financial, managerial and organisational expertise to support the company on the growth path outlined in the 2025–2029 Industrial Plan.
State of the art
The project has been authorised through the Regional Single Authorisation Provision (PAUR), which combined all the necessary permits into a single process, confirming the project's compliance with urban planning, environmental, and landscape regulations. Following the PAUR approval, in March 2025, the post-conflict clearance (debombing) work got underway. These activities are still ongoing: the first phase was completed in June, while the second will be concluded by July. At the same time, the construction site preparation began with the application to commence the works relating to utilities and urbanisation, entrusted to a consortium selected through a dedicated procurement procedure, which saw the participation of numerous leading construction companies. Within the first weeks of July, the second tender will be awarded for the works relating to the foundations and reinforced concrete structures of the main buildings, while tenders for the remaining works are underway. The entire procurement process will be completed by September–October 2025. "With this ambitious greenfield project, we intend to create an open-air tourism model based on a different quality standard. In addition to excellent services and large green spaces, this model prioritises the balance between tourism and conservation, promoting a slower, broader and more conscientious style of travel: an immersive, regenerative and non-extractive approach. The goal is to change the paradigm of the traveller, transforming them from a simple visitor into a "temporary inhabitant": an active part of a larger community that lives, respects and values the place," explained Domenico Montano, General Manager of Human Company.
In all respects, the village will be a shared ecosystem, where sustainability is based on a community approach: local producers' markets, artisan workshops, a high-quality selection of food drawing on the area's typical food and wine specialities, and cultural events and festivals open to residents and guests, actively involving local businesses. In this spirit of sharing, the open spaces of the village will serve as a dynamic and accessible resource for the territory, inviting locals and people who work in the agricultural, artistic and creative sectors of Eraclea to collaborate to create authentic experiences inspired by nature, well-being, and local culture. Underlining the group's commitment to the territory, the project is also expected to generate a public benefit of 4 million euros, derived from works identified directly by the municipality of Eraclea and professional territorial development projects. Furthermore, approximately 16.7 hectares of land along Viale dei Pioppi is intended to be transferred into municipal ownership, where Human Company will build a cycling path before the bridge leading to the town of Eraclea. Finally, Human Company plans to construct several structures for the Eraclea local government, including: four roundabouts on Viale dei Fiori (to make the junctions and the Eraclea Mare cycle path system as safe as possible), one of which is already complete (at the junction between Via dei Pioppi and Viale dei Fiori). Work has also been carried out along some parts of the river banks and the Laguna del Mort for the hydraulic safety of the entire area (mitigation works pursuant to the General Flood Risk Plan).
"The community has been looking forward to the start of work for a long time. The construction of the village represents a great opportunity for Eraclea in terms of both tourism — with an increase in visitors from approximately 600,000 annually to 12,000 daily — and regeneration, enhancing land that has primarily been devoted to agriculture. The village will also generate new job opportunities, with 600 workers employed both directly and indirectly, give rise to new enterprises, and strengthen businesses already present throughout the area," declared Nadia Zanchin, Mayor of Eraclea. "Alongside the construction of the village, other works will extend beyond the scope of the project, benefiting the entire community. For example, the works laid out in the agreement, such as the construction of new roundabouts, a section of the cycle path to the Eraclea Mare bridge, and €4,000,000 in public benefit. Agreements have already been signed with the owners to regulate the use of the sports facilities, water park, green areas, parking, and the cycle path that will surround the tourist village. With hu Eraclea village, Eraclea has reached a turning point."
Project details and numbers
Developed over a total surface area of 250 hectares, hu Eraclea village will play a fundamental role in the enhancement of Eraclea and its surroundings, supporting the natural landscape, tourist infrastructure and local community in a harmonious balance. Specifically, 100 hectares will be dedicated to the tourist village, with approximately 3,000 pitches for mobile homes, campervans and other accommodation solutions, capable of accommodating up to 12,000 visitors per day. Another 150 hectares are destined for the Valle Ossi rural and territorial tourist park, which is dedicated to protecting the landscape's characteristics and enhancing the local natural ecosystem, while offering new development opportunities for local agri-food and artisan businesses. At the urban planning level, the master plan envisages a low environmental impact model, with the use of innovative technologies and natural building materials, the protection of wooded areas, hydraulic systems and agricultural structures serving as the "guiding lights" for the project. About 70% of the area will be green, with the planting of over 4,300 trees, 127,000 linear metres of hedges, 110,000 m2 of lawn, and almost 7,600 herbaceous plants. Mobility will also be based on sustainability: the plans include 10 km of internal and external cycle/pedestrian paths, as well as shuttles and electric trains for transportation within the village, offering immersion in the landscape and promoting respect for the environment. A well-structured parking system will also be created to provide access to the sports facilities, the sea and the pine forest. The services and experiences will also reflect the Group's values and proposition: Human Company has always positioned itself as a creator of distinctive experiences, to be enjoyed inside and outside its open-air sites, offering much more than simple accommodation and showcasing the excellence of the local area. To this end, the village will be enriched with a wide range of services: catering options that showcase local food and wine excellence; a 9-hectare water park; edutainment activities that combine entertainment and education to help visitors discover the area's unique features, history, nature, and biodiversity; and events and initiatives open to both guests and local residents. There will be plenty of space to practise outdoor sports, as well as wellness trails and common areas for shared activities. All amenities will be designed to be accessible, integrated into the landscape, and to enhance the open-air experience in every aspect. At the heart of the project is a regenerative tourism model that balances visitor well-being, environmental protection, and local community development.
"Hu Eraclea village was conceived as an open-air tourist site with a strong naturalistic vocation, designed to achieve high standards of excellence in terms of environmental sustainability, technological choices, and construction solutions. As a true landscape architecture project, the plans are also based on its surroundings," commented Lorenzo Lombardo, Chief Asset & Development Management of Human Company. "We are in a concrete operational phase: following the PAUR approval, the work began according to schedule. The post-conflict clearance is at an advanced stage, and the construction site for the initial works is underway with qualified companies. We will complete the assignment of all the main works by the autumn, thereby establishing a clear timeline and ensuring the overall quality of the project. Furthermore, to ensure effective management of the construction activities and to protect the liveability of the area, the construction site will be managed in sections, with active protocols for noise, dust, traffic, and environmental monitoring throughout all phases of the project."
Raoul Ravara, Managing Director, Asset Management, Hines Italy, explained: "The hu Eraclea Village project reflects our commitment to the development of alternative and sustainable assets. As an industrial partner, we are contributing to the project with our real estate expertise and an integrated vision that combines design quality, urban planning knowledge, and respect for the environment. Working synergistically with Human Company means leveraging highly complementary skills with the goal of making this open-air tourism model even more robust and scalable, thanks to an industrial approach that amplifies its positive impact on the local area, generating concrete benefits for the entire community."
Economic impact
In the first three years of operation, hu Eraclea village is expected to generate an overall economic impact of approximately 400 million euros, of which over 174 million is derived from internal spending by guests and over 226 million from external spending in the area. The project will also be an important driving force for employment: it is expected to create approximately 600 new jobs, both directly and indirectly.
Environmental and landscape protection
The hu Eraclea village project has been approved by way of a double authorisation process – Strategic Environmental Assessment (favourable opinion no. 61/2020) and Environmental Impact Assessment (favourable opinion no. 251/2024) – to certify its full compatibility with the ecosystems of the Valle Ossi, the Laguna del Mort and the mouth of the Piave. In particular, it is set apart by the implementation of innovative sustainability solutions, including a private purification plant to avoid overloading the existing municipal system and a dual network that will allow approximately 90% of treated wastewater to be reintroduced into the water system. Particular attention was paid to the area's hydraulic safety, with the implementation of flood risk mitigation works on the embankments on both the sea and river sides, allowing for the modification of the Flood Risk Management Plan. The village will also implement a photovoltaic park integrated into the sites, a system of advanced waste separation with a separation rate of at least 70%, and a dynamic traffic control system to optimise access flows. Sustainable accessibility to the natural Mort beach will be guaranteed through a specific regulation, developed in collaboration with the municipalities of Jesolo and Eraclea. Additionally, the municipality of Eraclea is assuming responsibility for managing the "Laguna del Mort and Eraclea Pine Forests" site within the Natura 2000 network: a European ecological network established for the conservation of natural habitats and the rarest and most threatened flora and fauna species. To ensure transparency and continuous improvement, a process of environmental monitoring is already underway to measure the pre- and post-intervention conditions in five key areas: air quality, surface and groundwater, noise pollution, traffic volumes and biodiversity (with particular reference to the parameters defined by the Natura 2000 network).
The Mayor of Eraclea, Nadia Zanchin, took part in the project presentation event, alongside Domenico Montano, General Manager of Human Company, Lorenzo Lombardo, Chief Asset & Development Management of Human Company, Raoul Ravara, Managing Director – Asset Management at Hines, Alberto Torsello, the founding architect of Studio TA Architettura, and Alessandro Vendramini, Project Manager of Studio Agriteco. Christofer De Zotti, Mayor of Jesolo, and Roberta Nesto, President of the Conference of Mayors of the Veneto Coast, also sent their regards.