With this protocol, the Post Office hands the buildings over to the city and the Zona Franca Consortium commits to restore them to turn them into public facilities focused on digital economy, training, research, entrepreneurship and talent.

Towards a more diversified economy for Ciutat Vella

The aim of this proposal is to turn an historical and iconic building that is currently underused and located at the intersection of two major streets of Ciutat Vella and Barcelona city, into an economic hub, which fosters high quality employment and local services for the district’s neighbours.

The buildings aim to become an entry gate for innovation on Via Laietana and contribute to the process of fostering the city centre’s economy, with more diversification of this territory’s economy and the attraction of new economic activity to create jobs and allow more balanced uses in the future while triggering the reactivation of other sectors like commerce and restaurants in this zone. This intervention will sure help in the transition of Barcelona’s current economy to a more sustainable economy based on knowledge and will invigorate the life of the Gothic Quarter and Sant Pere, Santa Caterina and La Ribera district, creating synergies between the training and knowledge activities and the district’s proximity uses.

A future business, innovation and sociocultural hub

The emblematic Post Office buildings will be home to:

• A business incubator with training centres, offices, research hubs and other similar uses in a space devoted to companies and start-ups related to the digital economy.
• A public Business Support Office for companies and talent. It’s a space run by Barcelona City Council and aimed at both national and international talent, as well as entrepreneurs, training and retraining.
• A cultural and civic zone to host activities and deal with the city matters and needs, especially those of the neighbours of the Ciutat Vella district.
• A restaurant zone to offer this service to all the activity of the new facilities.
• Correoslab, a space managed by the Spanish Post Office to transform their traditional business with the help of entrepreneurs, universities, administrations and companies.
• The Post Office customer service point will be kept, ideally with an independent access directly from the street.

A strategic location to create around 1,500 jobs

The current Post Office building marks the beginning of the Via Laietana axe. This street has been the focus of a recent reflection process on its characteristics and importance within the city, both from a mobility point of view as well as the role of many of its buildings. In the last years some of its unused buildings have been identified, among which the Correos headquarters stands out.

Therefore, the proposal to turn the Post Office into an economic promotion hub is part of the same strategy to revitalize Via Laietana surroundings with more local life and more diversified productive activities.

This operation will allow to create around 1,500 jobs. In addition, the building will be able to host up to 150 companies and start-ups and around 2,000-2,500 people will use it every day, generating new neighbour, economic and social dynamics.

Calendar and commitments

Starting with the signing and in a maximum period of two years, the Post Office will hand over the spaces of the main buildings so as the Zona Franca Consortium can develop the renovation process, write the studies and necessary proposals up for its exploitation and carry out the works derived from the agreement.  On its part, Barcelona City Council will process the necessary urban planning and will handle the facilities’ exploitation once they are completed.