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Madrid mall where David Bowie performed to be demolished for 529 homes

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The former leisure landmark in Los Cármenes, once famous for hosting major cultural and sporting amenities, is making way for 529 new residential units across two high-rise buildings. Approved blueprints outline a 1,500-square-metre market, retail space, sports facilities, and a 60-metre-wide corridor linking nearby parks. The plan reserves 159 of the planned homes as protected units, alongside 370 market-rate properties. Local residents, however, have mounted sustained resistance across multiple planning stages over worries about rising traffic and the project's overall scale.

Key points

  • The project will introduce 159 protected homes alongside 370 market-rate properties to th…: The project will introduce 159 protected homes alongside 370 market-rate properties to the Latina district.
  • A 60-metre-wide green corridor will be built to create a direct link between local public…: A 60-metre-wide green corridor will be built to create a direct link between local public parks.
  • Neighbourhood associations continue to challenge the regeneration effort out of concern f…: Neighbourhood associations continue to challenge the regeneration effort out of concern for traffic congestion and gentrification.

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A shopping centre that once echoed with

David Bowie's music, welcomed international rock stars and drew motorsport enthusiasts to its go-kart track is now history. Madrid's iconic La Ermita shopping centre, which became a popular entertainment destination after opening in the 1990s, has been demolished after around 18 months of work. Its 44,349-square-metre site in the city's Latina district is set to undergo a €77 million transformation, making way for 529 homes, two residential towers and new public spaces close to Madrid Río.

The redevelopment marks a significant change for a property that was once associated with concerts, bowling, water parks and karting. According to Spanish media reports, the former complex in the Los Cármenes neighbourhood hosted the Aqualung concert venue, where artists including David Bowie and Iggy Pop performed. The shopping centre also housed a go-kart circuit associated with Spanish rally driver Carlos Sainz, alongside one of Spain's oldest bowling alleys and what was described as the first indoor water park in Madrid.

When La Ermita was a major entertainment destination

La Ermita was developed during the 1990s, when…

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