Barcelona sets a date for the new mini-neighborhood next to Poble-sec

BarcelonaBarcelona City Council has set a date for one of the key projects for the transformation of the city: the new mini-neighborhood which is to be built next to Poble-sec, taking advantage of the Fira's renovation. At a press conference, the Deputy Mayor for Urban Planning, Laia Bonet, and the Deputy Mayor for Housing, Jordi Valls, explained that the city council anticipates construction will begin in 2029, with the goal of completing the entire project by 2033. To achieve this, the plan includes the construction of 500 affordable homes, 48 ​​subsidized housing units, amenities, and green spaces. The subsidized housing units are the main new feature of a plan that will involve a total investment of 90 million euros and, according to City Hall data, will increase the public housing stock of the Catalan capital by 4.2%.

The urban development project also includes several facilities, among them the construction of a primary care center, the expansion of the fire station, the expansion of the playground of the Mossèn Jacint Verdaguer School, and the renovation of Pavilion 2 to house a multi-sports pavilion, allowing the demolition of the current one. Italian PavilionAnother key aspect of the plan is the desire to eliminate the boundary between neighborhoods currently created by the Fira (fairgrounds) and improve connectivity between Poble-sec and Font de la Guatlla. Therefore, taking advantage of the demolition of some of the pavilions, the city will extend Guardia Urbana Street to reach Paral·lel Avenue and create a promenade that crosses the Fira from Lleida Street to Maria Cristina Avenue, where Plaça del Universo (Universe Square) is currently located. This promenade will then be extended to Mexico Street in the Font de la Guatlla neighborhood. All of this is planned with the aim of creating a new, more pedestrian-friendly Maria Cristina Avenue with less reliance on private vehicles.

Bonet celebrated the approved urban improvement plan—which implements the one already designed in the modification of the Metropolitan General Plan promoted during Ada Colau's last term—stating that it "allows us to build a city where none exists today" and prioritizes "the right to remain" in the city by offering affordable housing. Bonet also emphasized that it will have a "high-quality" public space. The philosophy is that the new mini-neighborhood will be a continuation of Poble-sec, with a similar layout and even a new plaza inspired by Plaça del Sortidor.

Four years later than planned

The new timetable announced this Thursday by the City Council contrasts with the forecast made in 2022 by Janet Sanz, then Councilor for Urban Planning in Ada Colau's government, who predicted that the new homes would be ready in 2029. At a press conference, Bonet and Valls explained that the current timetable includes many factors that affect it. They cited as an example the Barcelona Emergency Operations Coordination Center (CECOR), which is located on one of the plots affected by the plan, but which cannot be installed in its new location at the Three Chimneys of Paral·lel until 2027. The construction of this new mini-neighborhood is also part of the overall transformation process of Montjuïc, which includes the transformation of the Fair, the remodeling of Spain Square and the restoration of emblematic spaces such as the Press House and, in the future, the city's Sports Palace.