Costa del Sol News
The construction of the new Mercacentro, promoted by the Fuengirola City Council on the same plot where the old food market was located, is progressing with the assembly of the wooden structure. However, the work, which has already accumulated nearly a year of delay, is not moving as quickly as one might expect. This was verified by the mayor, Ana Mula (PP), who has requested greater speed in the construction process.
After completing the basement, the work has become more visible from the outside with the installation of wooden beams that will serve as the structure for this building. The tasks have already finished on the ground floor, and now the workers are working on the first floor.
The Fuengirola City Council awarded the construction of the new Mercacentro in November 2023 to a Temporary Business Union (UTE) formed by Prodesur, Jocon, and Itercon, for an amount of 12.9 million euros and a completion period of 18 months. The renovation of Mercacentro was a long-standing claim by the merchants who have a stall in the market, as the facilities dated from the 1980s and had become obsolete over time—they lacked natural light—which was reflected in a drastic drop in commercial activity.
During the first phase of the project execution, which involved the demolition of the old facilities, technicians encountered unforeseen problems in the basement slab. The project management and municipal technicians then decided to halt the work to assess the extent of these problems and modify the original project to ensure the stability and safety of the future facility. All this led to a delay in the execution period.
However, Mayor Ana Mula has visited the worksite and expressed her concern about the pace of the work, stating it "should be much faster." Therefore, she has demanded from the Temporary Business Union Prodesur-Jocon-Itercon "greater speed" in the construction of this infrastructure, which is very important for the city.
The project is set to become another icon of Fuengirola due to its design and because the framework and structure of the building will be constructed with Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), an industrialized and treated wood that performs very well in places with constant temperature and humidity, like Fuengirola. This material is considered the most ecological of all possible construction systems at this time.
This material will allow achieving all international sustainability seals, ecological quality, European directives, as well as the A energy rating, making the new Mercacentro an Almost Zero Energy Building (ECCN).
The new Mercacentro will be distributed over several floors: a basement with parking for customers, as well as another for truck loading and unloading. The ground floor will have three large entrances and 39 market stalls, with a central lobby covered with a skylight.
The first floor will feature commercial premises with gastrobars and a business nursery; and the second and last floor will house a terrace open to the public.
The new Mercacentro will have a total constructed area of 11,000 square meters, and universal accessibility will be guaranteed on all its levels.
