This is what the new indoor market in Fuengirola will be like: 42 stalls on the ground floor and gastrobars above

Fuengirola is set to make a start on what will be the second most important project, in terms of size and budget, of any the town has worked on in recent years. This is the demolition of the current Mercacentro building on Avenida Alcalde Clemente Díaz, in the centre of town, and the construction of a new indoor market, with a more modern image and services. "After the construction of the Elola sports complex, it is the most important work we are going to do," the mayor of Fuengirola, Ana Mula, said on Tuesday at the gates of the building, which has been closed since 5 January.

Until 22 January, the traders who still have a stall in the market will be able to remove all their belongings, following which the work – without explosives – will begin. The demolition of the current building will be the first step to be taken by the company awarded the contract for the work. It is a complex demolition, as although only the part that is above ground will be demolished (the two floors of underground parking will remain), the site is located in a part of the town that has a lot of traffic throughout the day.

"There will be no detonations, it will be a demolition with machinery," Mula stressed. The mayor also noted that the work, which will cost some 13 million euros, is being paid in full by the town hall, with a completion period of 15 months. "We have made the company aware of the need to meet the deadlines because the traders have had to leave their stalls, and although some have set up businesses outside, others have ceased their activity while waiting to return and continue with their concession," Mula said.

The work will get under way after long negotiations and an agreement with the traders in the market. Particularly complicated was the design of the interior of the future building, as the traders demanded as a non-negotiable condition that all the market stalls be on the ground floor, due to the fact that the distribution they have had until now, with stalls on the ground floor and on the first floor, has not given good results.

The problem was space, as this was not possible if all the traders were to maintain the same size and layout as before. It was even necessary to create a technical commission, made up of an architect appointed by the traders, another by the town hall and a third, sent by the Architects' Association, to reach an agreement on the distribution. In the end, all the market stalls (42 in total) will be on the ground floor and all have given up a few metres for this to become a reality.

"Once the new building is finished, the stalls of the traders who have their concessions in force will be allocated first, and then the rest will be allocated," Mula said.

Above the stalls, on the first floor, there will be restaurants. "We want the new Mercacentro to be an attractive place where you can buy a steak or good seafood and have it cooked for you on the top floor, in gastrobars,” the mayor said.

With regard to the two underground floors, one will serve the market itself (warehouses and loading and unloading) and the other will be a car park. In total, the building will have a floor area of 11,000 square metres.

Finally, with regard to the exterior design, the publicly released rendering shows a striking architectural design based on glass and wood. It will be built with CLT wood, which is the most environmentally friendly building system available and which reduces energy consumption to the best possible rating. Furthermore, it has been proven to work very well in places, like Fuengirola, with a constant temperature and humidity.