Andorra Awards 50-Year Concession to Bluebox for Reviving Edifici dels Pouets

Andorra la Vella's municipal council has unanimously approved a 50-year concession for the long-vacant Edifici dels Pouets to Bluebox SLU, an Andorran firm with over 20 years of experience in the sector.

The company plans to invest €2.7 million to fully renovate the former parking facility, unused for nearly a decade. Most of the space will become 500 to 700 storage units and 56 rehearsal rooms to meet local demand from musicians and bands. A second phase includes ceding space back to the comú, featuring a 25-metre-high wall for a potential indoor climbing gym, with costs borne by the comú or another private operator.

Cònsol Major Sergi González described the move during Thursday's session as granting "a new opportunity to a building that has served no one for almost a decade." He stressed that the proposal ensures the facility's viability, stable activity, sustainability, and real benefits for residents, with the storage units providing economic stability.

Bluebox will pay an annual canon starting at €50,000, potentially rising to €100,000 depending on occupancy. The firm anticipates six months from September to draft the project and 18 months for construction, aiming for operations within about two years.

González noted Bluebox's international work as making it a "coherent bet" for the site's future. The project drew support from the opposition Demòcrates, with councillor David Astrié expressing a "vote of confidence" despite past failed attempts and the building's complexity, hoping it serves all citizens.

Opposition members urged revisiting a prior proposal for photovoltaic panels on the roof, citing its prime solar exposure. Astrié called it an "opportunity lost" over 50 years. González confirmed the company already plans panels, with potential roof expansion.