Municipal markets plan
Introduction
The Central Fruit and Vegetable Market, also known as Legazpi Market, was a food market specialized in the distribution of vegetables and greens located next to Legazpi Square in the district of Arganzuela (south of Madrid).
Description
The building, still preserved, occupies a triangular site formed by the streets of Vado de Santa María and Maestro Arbós and the Manzanares River. Triangular in plan and built of reinforced concrete (two floors) on a plot of thirty thousand square meters. The Municipal Slaughterhouse and Livestock Market was located on the other side of Vado de Santa Catalina Street.[1] It was designed and built by the architects Luis Bellido González (also author of the Slaughterhouse and Livestock Market), Francisco Javier Ferrero (introducer of reinforced concrete technology in Madrid constructions), and the engineer Alfonso Peña Boeuf. It began in 1926 and was completed in 1935. It operated as a market until its functions were transferred to Mercamadrid at the end of the century.
History
The food market dedicated to the sale of vegetables was located in the old Mercado de la Cebada.[2] At the beginning of the century in Madrid, the Madrid City Council promoted a General Market Plan") where the construction of markets of different types was promoted throughout the city. The architect Luis Bellido was assigned responsibility for the execution of the Plan.[3] To this end, with the mission of repopulating the area with workers who work in the Matadero and in the Market, the Colonia del Pico del Pañuelo nearby.[4] The works began in 1926 and show an example of rationalist style.[3] On April 23, 1935, the same day that the old Cebada Market closed, what is called the "new Central Fruit and Vegetable Market" was inaugurated in the Plaza de Legazpi Almost at the same time and under the execution of the Market Plan.
In 1983 it was replaced by Mercamadrid and the building was closed. At closing it had 330 wholesalers. Since the 1980s, the old market was used to house different municipal offices, mainly the Villa Warehouse, although it was also home to offices and workshops, even housing one of the SAMUR bases.
However, since the beginning of the century it suffered progressive abandonment, which led to countless failed projects to give the building a new use.