The mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez, has assured that the rehabilitation project for the Gesa building is moving forward despite opposition criticism. The design competition has been won by the Cruz y Ortiz Architects firm.
On Wednesday, the mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez, confirmed that the reform of the Gesa building, one of the largest symbols of urban neglect in the city, will continue. The project aims to recover the waterfront property after 15 years of closure and has been criticized by the municipal opposition, which is calling for its halt.
“They had the opportunity for 15 years to do something with Gesa and chose to abandon the building,” Martínez stated at the press conference following the Government Board meeting. The mayor was referring to the left-wing governments that managed the City Council in the last two legislatures, made up of socialists, Més, and Podemos.
The current government team, Martínez defended, has chosen “not to look the other way” and to implement a recovery plan that, despite the opposing voices, “will continue.” The initiative will not only rehabilitate the building but will also create “a large green area right by the sea,” he emphasised.
The Cruz y Ortiz Architects firm has won the design competition called by the City Council to plan the rehabilitation of the 10-storey building and its surrounding spaces. The works could be tendered in 2027 and completed between 2030 and 2031, provided the necessary funding is secured.
The Gesa building, designed by architect Josep Ferragut, is over fifty years old and is protected as a Cultural Asset of Interest (BIC). Once rehabilitated, it will house the governance body of the Innovation and Culture district of the bay of Palma, the headquarters of the Municipal Institute of Arts, multipurpose spaces with workshops for artists, and the Energy Interpretation Centre, which will showcase the evolution of the energy industry in Mallorca. The basements will house a Citizen Attention Office and other municipal offices.
However, the opposition does not support the project. In the plenary session this Thursday, the last of the political term, PSOE, Més, Podemos, and Vox will present their own proposals for the building and its surroundings. The mayor has reiterated that the municipal project is firm and will not be halted.
For the residents of Palma, the rehabilitation of Gesa represents the recovery of an emblematic space right by the sea, which has been a focus of degradation for years. The creation of a green area and the location of cultural and administrative facilities will improve service offerings in the area and revitalise the promenade.
The City Council hopes that the project, in addition to restoring the building's splendour, will boost cultural and economic activity in the Innovation and Culture district, a strategic area for the city. The expectation is that the works will begin in 2027 and last for several years, meaning citizens will have to wait until the end of the decade to see the final result.
Meanwhile, the political debate about the future of Gesa will continue in the municipal plenary, where each group will defend its vision for this urban plot.
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