Moncofa City Council has taken decisive steps for the recovery and enhancement of Casa Portalés, one of the oldest residential and summer houses located on the front line of El Grau. After obtaining the concession from Costas for an initial period of 15 years, renewable for another 15, the council has two years to begin the restoration works. This move prevents the demolition of the property, which suffered years of neglect, occupation, and a fire.
The recovery project, led by the specialized firm Fabricante de Esferas, will respect the building's historical value. The intervention will prioritize the conservation of the exterior volume and maintain the interior layout with minimal necessary alterations, paying special attention to consolidating the original historic floors. The demolition of an adjacent garage built in the 1960s is planned to create an open perimeter environment.
The mayor of Moncofa, Wences Alós Valls, highlighted the dual aspect of the initiative: defending the maritime village and traditional houses as collective integrated architectural heritage, and preserving local history. The building holds significant documentary weight, having hosted school colonies for children evacuated from Madrid during the Civil War, served as a hospital, and later became part of a prisoner-of-war camp. For these reasons, the works will include archaeological monitoring to identify potential vestiges.
The technical meeting held at the property was attended by municipal representatives, technicians from the architecture firm Fabricante de Esferas, and local archaeologist José Albelda. Currently, detailed planning for the construction project is underway, with the aim of initiating the tender for the works in the coming months or early next year.
