Icod de los Vinos Relaunches Million-Euro Bid to Revive Abandoned Municipal Market
Icod de los Vinos has relaunched a million-euro bidding process to renovate its long-abandoned municipal market into a modern hub for retail, dining, and leisure.
The Icod de los Vinos municipal market, which has sat empty for over 25 years, is finally moving toward a new chapter. Local authorities have relaunched the bidding process to renovate the building near the Plaza de América after a previous attempt last year failed to attract any interest.
The project, valued at over one million euros, aims to restore the 1985 building within eight months. The goal is to turn the space into a modern hub that blends traditional retail with dining and leisure. The new layout will feature 29 units on the upper floor—complete with a kitchen, cafeteria, information desk, and meeting room—along with nine additional commercial spaces on the ground floor.
The renovation will take place in two stages. First, crews will address structural repairs, update access points like ramps and stairs, and install a new central circulation area. The second phase will focus on a full refurbishment of the ground floor. Engineers have confirmed that the building’s original load-bearing structure will remain untouched.
This move is a significant step toward ending decades of stagnation. Since the market closed in the late nineties, various local governments have tried and failed to find a new purpose for the site, including a 2016 proposal to turn it into a center for local traditions.
To ensure the project meets modern standards, the City Council has included detailed plans for plumbing, fire safety, air quality, and electrical systems. The contract also requires builders to follow sustainability guidelines, such as managing water use and keeping construction noise to a minimum to avoid disturbing neighbors. If successful, the reopening of this iconic building could provide a much-needed boost to the local economy in the heart of the "City of the Dragon."