The City Council of Barcelona will transform its Tres Xemeneies (Three Chimneys) with Conren Tramway. The company, which already owned the two empty buildings in the area, has reached an agreement with the city council that will allow it to set up offices in the emblematic space, located on Avinguda del Paral-lel, in the Poble-Sec neighbourhood.
Following the agreement, Barcelona's Three Chimneys will be given new uses (offices), more facilities and more green areas, tripling its value. The aim is to "revitalise" the asset, according to Barcelona City Council. This unblocks the urban development future of this area, where until now only companies linked to essential services, such as water, electricity and gas, were allowed to set up.
Specifically, the agreement includes the transfer of the Barcelona Emergency Operations Coordination Centre (Cecor) to the Llac building; the development of the Jardins de les Tres Xemeneies square and the transformation of more than 20,000 square metres in the Torre building into offices, works to be carried out by Conren Tramway between 2023 and 2025.
With the change of urban plan, Barcelona will create a new 20,300 square metre office hub on the property, which will see the value of the land increase from €13 million to €35 million.
Requalification of the land
The process of changing the Tres Xemeneies will be activated in the coming months with the processing of the new urban development plan. The requalification of the land will allow the property to locate offices and triple its value, a benefit that will be shared equally between the two entities.
From the 13 million that the land currently costs to the 35.5 million that it will cost after being reclassified, the 22.5 million difference (or capital gain) will be shared between the developer and the city council. "The city will obtain 11.2 million euros in transfers to cover neighbourhood needs," says the council.
According to the city council, the company's contribution (Conren Tramway) "to make these benefits redound to the citizens" includes the transfer of the 2,500 square metre Llac building; the transfer of 10% of the increase in the value of the land: 2.2 million euros; an additional contribution of 4 million euros and the payment of the cost of the redevelopment of the square, valued at 2.7 million euros. This financial contribution will make it possible to create new facilities and affordable housing in the neighbourhood.
