Andorra Awards €270K Contract to Rehab Tobacco Factory into Advanced Tech Hub

The Andorran Council of Ministers has awarded a €270,000 contract to architects Sònia Palau and Bonaventura Riberaygua to draft the project and oversee rehabilitation works at the former Catsa tobacco factory in Sant Julià de Lòria. The 2,886-square-metre building, constructed in 1962 and closed in 2010, will be transformed into the Centre Andorrà de Tecnologies i Solucions Avançades (CATSA), featuring R&D laboratories, startup spaces, university facilities and areas for innovation-driven companies.

Ministra de Presidència, Economia, Treball i Habitatge Conxita Marsol described the repurposed site as a "top-level research and innovation hub" and the "new Catsa". The project anchors the National Plan for Innovation and Economic Diversification, aiming to boost innovation spending from 1% of GDP in 2025 to 7-8% over the next decade. It seeks to attract high-value activities and position Andorra as a global leader in the sector. The 2026 budget allocates a record €5 million for related initiatives. The government and Sant Julià de Lòria commune purchased the property on 25 March 2025 for €4.2 million, shared equally, to protect industrial heritage and enable its strategic revival. Works are expected to start in September 2026 and last about 18 months, with an estimated total cost of €6 million. The architects have eight weeks from contract signing to deliver the executive project.

Separately, the Council approved a €67,000 contract with Sònia Palau for designing and directing renovations at the Escola Andorrana's maternal and primary school buildings in Sant Julià. The works address facilities unchanged since their original construction, focusing on structural and functional upgrades, safety and fire protection compliance, accessibility improvements, energy efficiency gains, and enhanced user comfort. Planned changes include new windows, doors, flooring and ceilings; modernised interior and technological systems; space reorganisations; kitchen refurbishments; and updates to the lower playground. The executive project is due within eight weeks of signing, followed by phased construction.