Two of the last historic buildings in Lavapiés has been saved from demolition. Just before noon today, following recognition of the buildings’ potential heritage value, police shouted from street level to the construction workers on the roof to stop work immediately. The two-storey buildings on Plaza Nelson Mandela – formerly home to Baobab, Madrid’s first Senegalese restaurant and an old guest house – now stands as a powerful symbol of a rare victory for the barrio.
Credit is due to Antonio Giraldo, who upon discovering plans to convert the building into a 288-bed budget capsule hotel, began investigating its history. He found photographic evidence which shows that the two neighbouring buildings date back to at least the 18th century and may even originate in the 17th century, giving it significant heritage value. Its construction typology rooted in techniques dating back to the 14th century is emblematic of Lavapiés’ working-class architectural heritage, of which very little remains anywhere in Madrid.
The suspension of the demolition followed a complaint filed by the PSOE with the Madrid Provincial Prosecutor’s Office. In response, the council withdrew the demolition licence and announced it would await a formal heritage assessment from the Community of Madrid’s historical preservation authority. Although the building is not currently protected under the city’s urban planning regulations, the decision seeks to resolve doubts and prevent the irreversible loss of potential cultural heritage.
In 2011, the Madrid City Council authorised the demolition of an old house on the corner of Calle Embajadores and Calle Rodas, which still sits as an empty plot. The exact date of construction is unknown, but it could date back to the 17th century. In the past, it housed a panadería and, in the 20th century, it also served as a wine cellar: “Viuda de Lesmes.” In the early 1980s, it was occupied by a group of women who established a centre for women survivors of gender-based violence.
The two properties, located on the corner of Plaza Nelson Mandela and currently lacking any heritage protection, were purchased for €3.5 million by architect and developer Javier González. The plan was to replace them with a 288-bed capsule hotel operated by SmartRental, one of the companies managing the largest number of hotels on Gran Vía. But just before 12pm today, the order decision was finalised and demolition was halted.
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