After nearly two decades in limbo, Chapala’s former town hall in the heart of the city is finally on the verge of starting a new life as a cultural center.
Renovation work that has gone on in fits and starts since 2007 will be concluded by the end of the month, according to current project manager Antonio Velarca, who works for the construction outfit CCR Ingenieros contracted by the state government.
The refurbished facility will house an enclosed auditorium located in the rear of the building. It is being equipped with padded seating for 214 spectators, a solid oak stage platform, backstage dressing rooms and theater lighting gear. An outdoor patio and café will also be situated on the ground floor.
Second-story salons will be used for art exhibits and cultural workshops, with access from downstairs by a metal spiral staircase or the elevator installed for persons with mobility issues.
Velarca says the project has entailed the installation of 227 micro-piles buried in the foundations at a depth of eight meters to reinforce the historic structure, as well as patching and painting inside and out and the addition of new windows and doors.
The latest restoration work was initiated in November with an investment of 10 million pesos shared 50/50 by the state and federal governments. The municipal government will likely be obliged to hold off a grand-opening celebration until after the June 7 elections.
The former Presidencia Municipal, situated at Chapala’s main intersection, began showing signs of deterioration in the mid-1980’s. The building was evacuated in 1998 due to the increasing gravity of structural defects detected throughout the main wing. City government offices, the local jail and regional headquarters for the state criminal court were relocated to safer temporary quarters at that time. The government finally moved into to a permanent home in 2001 after purchasing and renovating the landmark Hotel Nido, now known as the Palacio Municipal.
Construction of the old Presidencia’s ground floor dates back to 1897. The upper story was completed in time for a gala opening coinciding with the centennial of Mexico’s independence on September 16, 1910. Its classic Porfirian architectural style is typical of the turn-of-the-century period, as seen in many of the stately edifices that rose up during Chapala’s golden era.
The building’s contiguous southern wing, built privately in the 1950’s and acquired by the local government in 1980, has remained sound enough to be habitable, serving periodically for various auxiliary purposes. The ground floor space at the corner of Avenida Hidalgo is currently undergoing repairs to resume its function as home to Chapala’s historical archives.