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26 August 2016 – Expansión
Three buildings in the area are currently being completely renovated, along with all of the public spaces in the financial district. Zara will move in soon and the neighbouring Bernabéu stadium will be renovated in 2018.
The refurbishment of some of its classic office buildings, the complete renovation of the public squares, the arrival of a fashion giant and some changes in the faces of some of the most illustrious neighbours. That is the urban landscape facing Azca at the moment and it means that the financial district will have a completely new image in a matter of months.
In the schedule of programmed works, we have the complete refurbishment of Torre Europa, one of the flagship buildings in the area, which has not had any space available for three decades. Following the departure of its veteran tenant – KPMG -, Grupo Infinorsa has decided to invest €20 million in the complete modernisation of the 32-storey skyscraper, including the renewal of the façade, which will be completed at the beginning of 2017. (…).
JLL has been commissioned to market the empty office space, equivalent to 70% of its 42,000 sqm surface area, and has already signed its first contract with the US multinational AOL.
Also for the first time since it opened in 1981, almost all of the Torre Negra is available for rent; until last year, it housed the corporate headquarters of BBVA, which continues to occupy the upper floors of the 28-storey skyscraper. A construction canvas currently covers the façade of the building, renamed Castellana 81, where GMP is undertaking work to improve the 38,000 sqm space.
The triangle of planned renovation work is completed by the former headquarters of the Saint Gobain group in Madrid, which is currently unoccupied. With a leasable surface area of more than 16,000 sqm, spread over 18 floors, the building’s façade is going to change with the inclusion of some unique wavy slats on the outside, although the internal refurbishment will be carried out from the ground floor to the roof terrace.
Whilst three of its most spacious office buildings are being updated, Azca is also participating in the renewal of its public spaces. (…).
For the time being, the first phase of the rehabilitation of Plaza Pablo Ruiz Picasso has been completed and the second, and final, phase is scheduled to begin before the end of the year. (…).
But the most high profile issue in Azca over the next few months will be the arrival of Zara to the financial centre of Nuevos Ministerios. The company owned by Amancio Ortega plans to open its largest store in Spain in the 5,000 sqm building currently occupied by FNAC, next door to El Corte Inglés.
The renovation of the area could be completed in the medium term with urban projects in the vicinity. One project that is already in an advanced phase is the renovation of the Bernabéu stadium, which will not involve the extension of the constructed surface area, but will allow the construction of a roof, which is what the club wants. Most of this construction work will be carried out in 2018.
Another project, which is in an embryonic phase, will be the transformation of the Palacio de Congresos on La Castellana into a 23-storey property, which will include, amongst other facilities, a five-star hotel. (…).
Original story: Expansión (by Marta Belver)
Translation: Carmel Drake