The City Council will acquire premises in Ciutat Vella for commercial activities and the sustainable economy

With the aim of economically boosting premises located on ground floors in Ciutat Vella so they can be used for local commerce and sustainable economic activities, Barcelona City Council will invest €1.5 million in purchasing and refurbishing spaces with these characteristics in the Raval South and Gòtic South neighbourhoods.

Commercial premises in the Ciutat Vella district are acquired through a public tender. Of the €1.5 million allocated, 1.1 will be for the purchase of premises and 400,000 will be for the refurbishment of new municipally owned spaces. It should be emphasised that these premises are in addition to the eight from the first Officially Protected Ground Floors (BPO) call.

It is also a measure that should help fight against commercial and neighbourhood gentrification and the economic monoculture. The tender is divided into three lots, one of which is specifically for properties in a poor state of repair, with the idea that the City Council could get involved in their refurbishment as another co-owner of the building.

Owners of commercial premises who are interested in selling may submit them to them to the tender. The registration period ends on 26 October. The City Council has established a points system to rate the proposals presented and thus acquire the premises that get the most points.

Characteristics of the premises

In order for the premises to be acquired, they must not have any financial burdens or activities, have a surface area of between 30 and 150 square meters, be directly accessible from the street and not be in ruins. The refurbishment must not exceed the refurbishment rate set out in the tender competition rules. Each premises can only submit one offer but the same property owner can offer more than one premises for sale.

A personal assistance service, located at Carrer Pintor Fortuny 17-19 (the head office of Foment de Ciutat) will help any people interested and will offer them the information and advice they need. (It is advisable to book an appointment in advance.) An email address has also been set up – bpociutatvella@bcn.cat – in order to clear up and answer any queries from all who may be interested.

Gòtic South, Raval South and properties in a poor state of repair

The competition has been divided into three lots, each of which corresponds to a geographical area. The first, LOT 1, comprises the southern part of the Gòtic neighbourhood, bordered by Carrer Ferran and Carrer Jaume I, Via Laietana, Angel Baixeras, Fusteria. Passeig Colom, Parc and La Rambla (these bordering streets are not in the competition). Some streets have are considered to be principle: Plaça Reial, Carrer Escudellers, Plaça George Orwell, Carrer de n’Arai, Avinyó, Josep Anselm Clavé, Ample, Gegants, Ciutat, Regomir and Marquet. A total of €500,000 will be allocated for the acquisition of premises in this area.

Lot 2: Raval South, bordered by Carrer Sant Antoni Abat, Carrer Carme, La Rambla, Passeig Josep Carner, Avinguda Paral·lel and Ronda Sant Pau (these bordering streets are not in the competition, except for Carrer Carme). There are 3 priority zones for purchases in this area, which are: Cera-Riereta-Aurora-Rambla del Raval-Sant Rafael-Sant Pacià-Reina Amàlia; Carme-Floristes de la Rambla-Hospital-Riera Baixa; Tàpies-Sant Oleguer-Nou de la Rambla-Rambla-Portal de Santa Madrona-Avinguda Paral·lel-Arc del Teatre-Santa Madrona. The streets that qualify as principal are: Sant Antoni Abat, Carme, Hospital, Rambla del Raval, Junta de Comerç̧, Sant Pau, Sant Oleguer, Avinguda Drassanes and Nou de la Rambla. In all, €450,000 are reserved for this area.

Lot 3: Premises situated in properties located in certain streets of Raval South and Gòtic South that are in a very poor state of repair. In this case, and as a pilot test, €150,000 are reserved. The streets included are the upper part of Robador, Picalquers, Malnom, d’en Roig, Vistalegre, Aurora, Sant Pacià, Riereta, Guàrdia, Arc del Teatre, Lancaster, dels Salvador, Sant Climent, Correu Vell, Gignàs and Escudellers Blancs.

Adjudication of 8 BPO premises after the summer

After the summer, Barcelona City Council plans to adjudicate the eight municipal premises from the first BPO call, an open competition with the aim of implementing activities related to local commerce and sustainable economic activity. Thirty-six offers were presented, 19 of them from people or entities in the Ciutat Vella district.