Cort drives the reform of the Plaza Mayor with a project of 1.4 million euros

PalmThe Palma City Council has taken a new step in the transformation of the Plaza Mayor, aiming to open the underground galleries and turn them into an open agora. The Cort Governing Board approved this Wednesday the tender for the drafting service of the integral construction project that will develop the 'Agora' preliminary project, aimed at improving the Plaza Mayor, its lower floors, and its surroundings.The contract also includes the technical direction of the works and will be processed through a negotiated procedure without prior publication. The base tender budget is 1.4 million euros (VAT included) and the action will be partially financed with funds from the Sustainable Tourism Tax (ITS).

The proposal stems from the ideas competition convened by Cort, which was won by the team formed by Barceló Balanzó Arquitectes and Scob Arquitectura i Paisatge. The preliminary project foresees as a central action the opening of the underground galleries, which will cease to be a closed space to become a large open atrium, conceived as an agora for cultural and commercial activities, integrated into urban life, as explained by the municipal spokesperson, Mercedes Celeste.

The project also includes the connection of the end of the Rambla with the square by burying the access to the car park and reorganizing the space into two distinct levels.Furthermore, the renovation will allow the future City Interpretation Centre to be located there, which will act as the hub of a network of exhibition spaces along with Can Serra and the Templo Towers. The aim is to highlight the history, heritage, architecture, and culture of Palma.New neighborhood center of Es Pil·larí

The Governing Board has also approved the basic project to build the neighborhood center of es Pil·larí, an infrastructure long demanded by the residents. According to Celeste, the building will have a ground floor area of 512 square meters and will be located on a municipal plot of approximately 2,300 square meters, which will allow for outdoor spaces for parking and open-air activities.The center will be located at Calle Falcó, 245, on the corner with Camino de Montaña, and has been designed to integrate with the surroundings and architecturally dialogue with the church of San Francisco de Asís. The budget is 2.66 million euros and construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027.Interventions in heritage

On the other hand, modifications have been approved for the wall restoration contract that incorporate two notable actions: the Muslim Tower–Murada del Puig de Sant Pere and the Drassana Arch, in s'Hort del Rei. These interventions amount to 362,000 euros, of which 92,400 will be financed with already authorized surpluses. As Celeste explained, these actions respond to unforeseen needs that could not have been foreseen at the time of tendering the initial contract.Snail Fair

The Board has also declared the 24th edition of the Snail Fair, which will be held from May 15 to 17 in Sant Jordi, of municipal public interest. The event has been held uninterruptedly since 2001, with the exception of the years 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.