Following the first phase of rehabilitation of the Villaflores Settlement, which involved the consolidation of all the buildings in this architectural ensemble declared a Cultural Interest Property (BIC), the City Council of Guadalajara will now undertake a second phase, with an investment of 907,000 euros. This phase will involve the complete restoration of several buildings and outdoor spaces, so that the ensemble can be visitable next year.
This was confirmed today by the Councilor of Urban Planning and responsible for the Villaflores Settlement, Alfonso Esteban, accompanied by the head of Urban Planning, César Gismera, recalling the commitment made by the Mayor of Guadalajara, Ana Guarinos, «when last July the works of the first phase were completed, which were carried out in 14 months, with an investment of 2,357,113 euros. The first phase focused on the consolidation of the buildings to prevent further collapses and ensure impermeability, as well as to prevent vandalism with a perimeter fence.»
«We are facing a Cultural Interest Property owned by the City Council of Guadalajara, which has been abandoned for many years and we must preserve and maintain it, which is what the current Government Team is doing,» said Esteban, thanking the technicians for their work on these projects.
«The credits for this action have already been incorporated into the 2025 budget, credits that correspond to the guarantee of the urbanizing agent that was executed,» explained Esteban, who is also the Councilor for Finance.
The head of Urban Planning, César Gismera, presented informational panels with before and after images of this first phase in the Villaflores Settlement, carried out by a UTE and directed by the architect Juan de Dios de la Hoz. «They have done a magnificent job in a work of enormous complexity, where the rehabilitation had to be done conserving the original materials almost tile by tile and brick by brick. Now, we are going to tackle this second phase to make the architectural ensemble available to the public for visitation, as soon as a definitive use is established.»
An Interpretation Center and a Period House
Esteban reported that the technical assistance for the drafting of the project is already underway, with a three-month deadline, and an estimated eight-month period for the construction phase. «Based on the bidding processes, we estimate that the works of the second phase could be completed in a year and a half, allowing the community to enjoy this historic ensemble.»
This second phase includes the complete rehabilitation of the chapel, a building with a floor area of 136 square meters, which will serve as an interpretation center for the agricultural ensemble, as well as the complete rehabilitation of the interior of one of the settlers’ houses to showcase the life of these early 20th-century farmers.
In addition, the interior of other buildings, such as the dovecote, the cellar, and one of the large warehouses, will be rehabilitated and cleaned for observation.
«Finally, this second phase also includes partially conditioning and urbanizing the exteriors to facilitate visits and avoid muddy areas, as well as installing a module of toilets and lockers, and providing a minimum water supply, sanitation, and electricity service to accommodate visitors, whom we believe should be guided and scheduled,” added the councilor.
Finally, Alfonso Esteban recalled that the Villaflores Settlement also has a privately owned building, the manor house with a belfry, which has also been rehabilitated by the owner.
«The rehabilitation of the Villaflores Settlement is part of the urbanization works of sector SP 93, from the year 2000, where the urbanizing agent condition was resolved at the time, due to non-compliance, by executing the guarantee. We hope that this sector will start in this term and that the urbanization works and the construction of houses there can also be completed. In the meantime, we want to make the Villaflores Settlement available to the public for visitation,» concluded Esteban.