Three years after its rebirth as a central hub for cultural activities, Chapala’s former town hall is due for improvements to correct multiple problems originating from the building’s restoration, according to Culture Director Sergio Unzueta.
The Centro Cultural Antigua Presidencia (CCAP) was inaugurated on August 27, 2015. The core of the classic Porfirian style structure was built between 1897 and 1910 to house the local government. The contiguous southern wing, constructed privately in the 1950s, was acquired and incorporated into the building in 1980.
The Presidencia was partially evacuated in 1998 due to severe structural defects caused by a geological fault line that runs through the center of town. Municipal agencies, the city jail and the regional criminal court were relocated to temporary quarters at that time. The government purchased and remodeled the landmark Hotel Nido in 2000 for its permanent home, now known as the Palacio Municipal.
Structural reinforcement and renovation of the old town hall began in 2007, with principal funding from the state government. A 214-seat enclosed auditorium was constructed in the rear of the building where the jail cells once stood. The south wing and a second-floor salon were turned into spaces for art exhibits and cultural workshops. Other areas were designated for office use.
Taking charge of the facility a month after its reopening, Unzueta and CCAP Administrator Cristina Flores detected flaws in the remodeling project design and execution.
The auditorium lacked backstage dressing rooms and bathroom facilities for performers, the stage was built too high for optimum audience viewing and the metal roof quickly sprung leaks. Transparent coverings over borders of the open-air patio linking the auditorium to the main entrance were made of fragile, ordinary glass rather than tempered material.
Leakage somewhere in the water supply and sewage infrastructure has damaged the patio mural depicting the Nine Muses. Tracing the problem has been hampered because city hall has only one sketchy version of the renovation plans on file.
The elevator put in for easy access to the second floor was made for transporting cargo, not passengers. It was put out of use due to improper installation, which caused its malfunction.
While some minor fixes have been carried out under his watch, Unzueta is upset that Jalisco’s Ministry of Culture has ignored repeated requests to resolve issues with the project contractor and remedy the worst defects.