Restoration of an historic jewel

The building with its characteristic French facade is one of the cornerstones of Casco Viejo.

Currently Central Hotel Investment Inc., a subsidiary of AB Hotels of Barcelona is investing more than $20 million in its renovation, under the careful eye of the Historic Legacy Department (Patrimonio Histórico).

The project has generated a lot of controversy since it started in May 2007, with accusations about the demolition of the interior of the building, including the once majestic staircase and balconies that were an important l part of the edifice.

The Historic Legacy Department deputy director, Marcelina Godoy said that the staircase and balconies were put in a warehouse for safekeeping to be installed at a later date, once the building has been made safe.

“We are making sure that most of the integrity of the Central Hotel is preserved, because one of the requirement we gave the construction company was that it has to maintain as much as possible of the original features.

Talking about the progress Central Hotel Investment has made in the project the Conservation Department chief, Irving Solorzano said that currently the company is putting forward the blue prints that have to be approved by the Historical Legacy and the Archaeological Commission.

Once approval has been granted they will start the work during the summer.

“We have been monitoring closely the site during the first phase which basically means cleaning, shoring the façade, preparation of the land and, of course, approval of the blueprints,” said Solorzano.

A group of archaeologists headed by Carlos Fitzgerald have been investigating the site and they discovered a well and a small channel, plus pottery from its earlier days. ,

Valentin Monforte from Metamorphosis Architects is in charge of the Central Hotel renovation and according to Solorzano once the work is finished it will recreate inside and outside what the building used to look like in the 19th century, but will also have aall the modern comforts.

The Central Hotel will have 140 rooms, a social area, swimming pool, spa, gymnasium, convention rooms, bars and restaurants plus a state of the art security system that befits a five star hotel.

It is expected that work will be finished in December 2009.

The renovation of the Central Hotel is part of the program that involves more than 16 buildings currently being converted into hotels, restaurants, apartments and bars.

One of the main problems is the lack of security in the area.

There have been persistent reports of thefts from tourists and local gang killings which haveprompted a higher level of police presence.

There are plans for installing more security cameras in the Casco Viejo area, to guarantee the safety of tourists and national who visit the area.