The City Council of València and the Port Authority held today a new meeting of the Inter-Administrative Cooperation Body, at which progress was made on key investments and infrastructure projects aimed at regenerating the surroundings of the Clock Building and consolidating La Marina as a hub for entrepreneurship and tourism.
On the one hand, the definitive urban development project for the area surrounding the Clock Building was approved. This project will enhance a key space for the connection between the city and the port. Jointly promoted by Valenciaport and the City Council of València, it involves an investment of around €2 million (excluding VAT), fully financed by the Port Authority of València, and will transform this area into a more welcoming space for public enjoyment. The scope of the original project has been expanded to include the former Copa Building, which is currently being demolished by the City Council.
This was explained by the President of the Port Authority of València (PAV), Mar Chao, and the Mayor of València, María José Catalá, who jointly presented an initiative consisting of the creation of a landscaped pedestrian area around the Clock Building, which has been designated as an Asset of Local Relevance. The intervention will cover a surface area of 12,568 square metres.
The project includes landscaped areas, pergolas, shaded zones, urban furniture and paving designed to guide pedestrian routes and create areas for leisure and relaxation. It also предусматривает the preservation of existing trees and the renewal of lighting, improving energy efficiency and the environmental quality of the space at night.
In addition, the size of the current roundabout will be reduced, providing more space for pedestrians and cyclists and enlarging the surroundings of this building, which is of high value to the city as a whole.
A first step towards the integration of the former dock
The President of the PAV stressed that the presentation of this project represents an important step in the overall process of integrating the former dock of the Port of València into the city. “With this proposal, Valenciaport consolidates itself as a key player in generating value for the people of València, both through its economic management and by offering new spaces resulting from joint work with the City Council,” said Mar Chao.
In this regard, she pointed out that the port-city relationship is one of the basic pillars of the Valenciaport Strategic Plan 2035. Social and territorial integration is one of the plan’s main axes, aimed at strengthening links between port facilities and their surroundings, through initiatives such as the redevelopment of the Clock Building area, a key space for cultural and business activities within the innovative environment being created in La Marina.
For her part, the Mayor of València stated that “with this project, citizens benefit, as the Port opens its heart to everyone with a new landscaped, more welcoming space for strolling and reconnecting with one of the most beautiful areas of the city, La Marina.”
The works, whose tendering is expected to take place imminently, will begin after the demolition of the Copa Building, which housed the 32nd America’s Cup and is currently disused. The removal of this building will allow for the landscape integration of the entire square adjacent to the Clock Building.
Launch of procedures for the construction of a new building in La Marina
On the other hand, the Inter-Administrative Cooperation Body agreed to initiate procedures for the construction of a new building in La Marina: a 100-metre-high tower for tertiary use.
The Special Plan for La Marina envisages that a building will be constructed on the plot located between Plaza de Las Horas, Travesía Street, the former Maritime Station (currently The Terminal Hub) and Shed No. 4. This building is set to become one of the city’s main architectural landmarks due to its characteristics.
The plot covers 7,000 square metres with a buildable area of 28,000 square metres, allowing for 30 floors and a height of 108 metres. The new construction must be designated for tertiary use, whether commercial, hotel, office or other tertiary activities. Private investment could exceed €120 million.
During the meeting, it was agreed that the City Council would proceed with the physical and legal regularisation of the plot, followed by the reversion of ownership to the Port Authority, in a manner similar to that used for the former Alinghi base plot. Subsequently, the Port Authority of València will tender the establishment of a surface right over the land.
The Mayor of València and the President of the Port Authority underlined that these projects demonstrate collaboration between the City Council and the Port Authority to gain space for citizens and consolidate La Marina as a hub for entrepreneurship and tourism.
In this context, the Board of Directors approved the bases and tender specifications for the implementation of an innovation and entrepreneurship centre on the last available base, which will undoubtedly contribute to strengthening Valencia’s innovation ecosystem, in coordination with other well-established flagship projects in the surrounding area.
“We have left behind the eight years in which nothing happened in this emblematic place. For the past two years, the City Council and the Port Authority have been working closely together to unlock the full potential of this area and ensure that the city’s residents feel it as their own,” the Mayor concluded.
