Pizarra tenders underground car park, first step towards new Ciudad de la Cultura

Pizarra has put out to tender the first work of its planned Ciudad de la Cultura (City of Culture): a public underground car park in Plaza de la Concordia, according to Diario Sur. The ayuntamiento (town hall) wants a theatre to be built later on the roof of the car park, on the spot in front of the Cruz Roja (Red Cross) headquarters where cars now park in the open air.

Key facts

• Budget: the announced investment is around €2.3 million, of which €1 million will come from the Diputación de Málaga (the provincial authority).
• Deadline: construction firms can submit bids until and including Monday 16 November.
• Timetable: the town hall expects to award the contract in early 2027, followed by 15 months of works.
• Size: the car park will sit under a surface of just over 2,800 square metres at number 2, Plaza de la Concordia.
• First of its kind: Diario Sur describes it as the first underground car park in the municipality.

What is planned

The project provides for two vehicle ramps. Inside, five aisles will give access to eight rows of perpendicular bays. Pedestrians will have their own exits and a lift for six people linking the car park with the surface.

Before any cars can go down, the existing installations must be dismantled and the plot excavated to the depth at which the structure will sit. The foundation slab and the concrete walls that will hold back the ground will then be built.

From car park to cultural centre

The roof is the link between this work and what comes next. Besides closing the car park, it will give the town back the space now taken by open-air parking. According to Diario Sur, the project first prepares the outside as open space and reserves the later construction of the theatre and cultural facilities for a subsequent stage.

The Ciudad de la Cultura is also intended to change the entrance to the town, the paper reported.

How bidders will be judged

The plaza is already in use, so firms will have to explain how they would work there. The town hall will assess their measures to reduce disturbance in the surrounding area and the effect of the works on municipal activity.

The price offered carries the most weight, 65 points out of 100. The organisation of the works, safety and an extended guarantee period will also count.

What it means for residents

For people who use the plaza daily, the change will affect both how they reach it and where they leave their vehicles. The 15-month period will only start once the town hall and the contractor have checked on site that work can begin.