Barcelona Activa and Barcelona City Council are strengthening the programme Amunt Persianes (Raise the shutters), a strategy for reactivating the street level commercial spaces without activity in the city.  The initiative, focused on reducing the number of empty premises in the city and fostering sustainable employment, is being strengthened with an investment of 16 million Euros to purchase 50 ground floor premises.

The programme counts on the collaboration of public and private stakeholders, social entities, and aims to boost the street level spaces as a strategic asset for Barcelona. 'Amunt Persianes' (Raise the shutters) aims to diversify the uses and ensure the balance of activities throughout the city. For this reason the City Council has acquired 50 premises that are spread around different neighbourhoods, with Ciutat Vella and Les Corts being the districts with the most properties available.

Barcelona City Council is calling a public bid process so that the owners interested in selling can present their proposals. The main requirements consist of having access from the street, a floor area of between 60 and 1,000m2, a good state of conservation that doesn’t require a major investment in the future, and in which there are no tenants at the time of purchase.

During 2022, calls will be opened to occupy these spaces. The properties will host activities focused on boosting the commercial, social, cultural and economic offer so as to act as a driver in their catchment area or commercial axis. The establishments will be aimed at sectors such as retail, local services, entrepreneurship, teaching and research, tertiary work centres, social facilities, logistics, business services and the Social and Solidarity Economy.

If you want to know more about ‘Amunt Persianes’, you can find out by clicking here.