Anyone who’s a true North Zone local never calls Avenida Luís Dumont Villares by its full name. For residents of neighborhoods like Parada Inglesa, Tucuruvi, and Vila Guilherme, it is (and always has been!) simply Avenida Nova. But have you ever stopped to wonder where this nickname came from—one that has endured for decades and even appears in official City Hall documents?
Luís Dumont Villares Avenue: From Overgrown Wilderness to the North Zone’s Hotspot
Until the late 1970s, the street that today is home to bars and restaurants looked quite different. In place of the asphalt and bike path, there was a large patch of scrubland along the banks of the Carandiru Stream, a few dirt roads, and the old railroad tracks.
In the following decade, as the North Zone developed, a project emerged to build an avenue connecting Vila Guilherme to Tucuruvi Avenue. Consequently, the Carandiru Stream was channeled, and the area was expropriated, allowing for the construction of the avenue where railroad tracks once ran.
Shall we take a stroll down the new avenue?
Upon hearing about the construction, residents would remark, “Did you see that there’s going to be a new avenue?” Furthermore, on Sundays, construction would stop and the construction site would become a track for roller carts. Since the street didn’t have a name yet, people would agree to meet at the neighborhood’s “new avenue.”
Over time, construction was completed, the Sunday skate sessions came to an end, and the avenue was officially named Luís Dumont Villares. But it was too late: the street never ceased to be “Avenida Nova” for those who live in the North Zone. In fact, even press reports and official statements from the São Paulo City Hall list the nickname alongside the official name.
Today, the avenue built over the stream and scrubland has become synonymous with leisure in São Paulo’s North Zone. There, you’ll find bars, burger joints, restaurants, and the famous Sesc Santana, which offers sports and cultural activities. So, when it’s time to explore the city’s bohemian neighborhoods, why not discover the hidden corners of “Avenida Nova”?
Just don’t call it by its official name—otherwise, everyone will know you’re an outsider.
