Guadalajara city hall is moving ahead with a plan to allow the upper (fourth) tier of the new Corona Market to be converted into a hostal/restaurant/bar.
Acting Mayor Enrique Ibarra said the new facility will “enrich and invigorate” the economic life of the market, which occupies a full block on Avenida Hidalgo just a stone’s throw from city hall (palacio municipal) in the downtown core.
The current incarnation of the historic market opened in late 2015, after being rebuilt following a devastating fire in May 2014.
The mayor’s comments appear to contradict those of municipal fire chief Felipe Lopez, who recently called the hostal project “unviable” for security reasons. He added that he had “no knowledge” of the project, nor has he been consulted regarding a feasibility study.
Nonetheless, the city council has already granted the company Operadora de Restaurantes Fusión a ten-year concession to operate a hostal/restaurant on the upper floor of the market. The firm will pay the city 100,000 pesos a month for the privilege of using the space and have drawn up plans for a 50-room facility that offers “reasonable” tariffs.