Design competition for new government buildings planned on Palma´s seafront

Staff Reporter THE future regional government headquarters in Palma, which in all probability will be located on the Fachada Marítima (seafront), will cost between 30 and 42 million euros. Estimated figures were given yesterday by the City Council's Town Planning director, Tomeu Abad. The director was disclosing price estimates for the new building at a Press conference following the meeting of the City Planning advisory council. The session had confirmed the conversion and upgrading of the organisation which is now to be known as the Municipal Company for Town Planning and Building Projects, of which he, Abad, is to become director general. According to Rodrigo de Santos, the mayor's deputy in Town Planning, the group will be responsible for planning and carrying out building projects in the city of Palma. Amongst its most important undertakings will be the development of the seafront including the government buildings. Further information on this project will come to light halfway through the present month. The deputy was not able to confirm any further information at that point as to the specific location of the new government building, since it is still unknown how large the surface area will need to be. Alternative sites have not yet been discounted such as the Moll Vell (Old Wharf). De Santos pointed out that in January, the creation of a Consortium between the City Council and the regional ministry for Tourism was set up in order to get work going on the new building. In the first instance, the project will be financed by these two institutions, although when the works are finished, private management of the complex would be put out to tender so that losses are not incurred. De Santos said that, as of May, a competition would be launched to collect ideas for the government offices project, and, once finalised, the works will go out to tender on the site which will be established in April. De Santos reported that at the same meeting of the City Planning advisory council, a project to build new homes had been confirmed to rehouse around 40 inhabitants of the military quarters of Baluard del Príncep. The new development will be located in Polígono de Levante.