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The Council has approved the renovation project, which will expand the protected building by incorporating the adjacent plot of the former Gloria Cinema—both properties were acquired by the municipality for €1.7 million.
The local government board of Torrevieja City Council has approved the rehabilitation of the protected Ice Factory building, located on Calle Orihuela near Calle Faleria (formerly known as Acarretos). The project will also include the adjacent plot that once housed the Gloria summer cinema.
The Ice Factory, a building from the late 1920s, is a protected structure under the General Urban Development Plan. It sits on a 300-square-metre plot, which the City Council purchased for €900,000, €100,000 more than the initially agreed price of €800,000. The adjacent plot, now temporarily used as a parking lot for municipal employees, also measures 300 square metres and was bought for €840,000 at the beginning of 2023.
The combined development project will allow a total built area of 2,273 square metres across a ground floor and four upper stories. Importantly, the design must preserve at least the facade and roofline of the original Ice Factory.
Tender for the Works
Government board spokesperson Federico Alarcón announced on Thursday that the public tender for the construction work is expected to be launched within “one or two weeks.” However, the current administration, led by the Popular Party, has not provided detailed information on the final appearance of the renovated building or its intended use.
Mayor Eduardo Dolón has suggested that the Ice Factory will house the new Tourism Office, as the current office in the old Miramar building is set to be demolished. That demolition would allow for the construction of an underground parking facility and a viewing platform overlooking the bay, the marina docks, and the historic Eras de la Sal.
Reurbanization of the Eras de la Sal
The Ice Factory project is part of a larger plan to revitalize the Eras de la Sal area, an important site for Torrevieja’s industrial heritage tied to its salt production history. Although announced in February 2021, no construction work has yet begun—only archaeological studies and the drafting of phased project plans have taken place.
The wider project includes the restoration of the old administrative building of the salt works, preservation of the site’s original mid-18th-century walls and pavement, reconstruction of the old salt conveyor system (rebuilt in the late 1990s), and the construction of a new Sea and Salt Museum on the higher ground of the Eras. An open-air auditorium is also planned for the current site of the Marina Internacional’s shipyard.
Additionally, the project involves creating a green space above the future museum, redeveloping Avd Faleria, and upgrading the Maestro Velero promenade as well as part of Vista Alegre promenade, among other improvements.
Archaeological Findings
The Council commissioned an archaeological study of the Ice Factory’s grounds to search for historical remains, such as the old fortress and watchtower that gave Torrevieja its name. However, the contracted firm, Arpa Patrimonio, reported no significant findings. They did highlight, though, that the Ice Factory’s distinctive wooden roof is in very poor condition, with parts having already collapsed.
Over €31 Million in Total
All these initiatives, with an estimated total cost of €31 million, remain on hold because they require the Generalitat Valenciana to grant public domain rights over the land, since the area falls under the regional government’s jurisdiction as part of the port domain. This approval process is currently in its public consultation phase following a formal request from the City Council.
However, the Ice Factory itself is outside the Generalitat’s authority, which is why its rehabilitation will proceed now.
Despite this, the Council’s main priority, besides rehabilitating the Ice Factory, was to build the new auditorium, as the International Habaneras and Polyphony Contest has been held at the Municipal Theatre for the past three years, the venue also for the 2025 event.
Image source: Flickr
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