The Local Council of Puerto de la Cruz has recently awarded the required urban licence to the owner of La Estrella, DISA Network of Petroleum Services, enabling the commencement of rehabilitation, reconstruction, and structural reinforcement works following the collapse that impacted its structure last year.
It is pertinent to note that on March 1 of the previous year, one of the six points of the roof of this facility collapsed, and it has remained closed since that incident.
The service station, constructed in the 1960s and designed by the architect Luis Cabrera Sánchez-Real, is included in the Municipal Catalogue of Buildings to be preserved and was designated as a Cultural Interest (BIC) site within the historical centre.
The duration taken to issue the licence can be attributed to two primary reasons. Firstly, it required authorisation from the Historical Heritage Department of the Cabildo de Tenerife. Secondly, regarding the reconstruction of a BIC, not just any project would suffice, explained the mayor of the sustainable city, David Hernández.
The rehabilitation process is divided into two segments: the reconstruction, repair, and reinforcement of the structure, which has a budget of 455,712 euros and the installation of new pipelines and storage facilities costing a total of 114,451 euros, bringing the overall total to 570,163 euros.
The intervention will be modernised while preserving the historical essence of the petrol station and will ensure the safeguarding of its most distinctive architectural features, such as the final finish of the new beams that will match the existing hyperbolic paraboloid structure. To achieve this, more durable materials and contemporary building techniques will be employed to ensure solidity, added the councillor. Although there is no projected timeline to commence the works, Hernández remarked that the company intends to proceed “as soon as possible.”
La Estrella, a landmark
“The DISA undertaking is crucial for reinstating operations at a site that has been a landmark for both locals and visitors to Puerto de la Cruz,” stated Hernández, who expressed that “we must continue to advocate for heritage and therefore it is vital that the city maintains its hallmark features, such as ‘La Estrella’, due to its historical and emotional significance.”
In this regard, he underscored the importance of promoting awareness regarding the necessity for owners of iconic properties to undertake their maintenance and preservation, which is obligatory.
Ultimately, he highlighted that the project concerning ‘La Estrella’ “clearly showcases how historical heritage and modern architectural innovation can coexist, crafting spaces that not only fulfil contemporary requirements but also honour the past.”
With this intervention, Hernández added, the petrol station ‘La Estrella’, situated at the edge of the roadway, will once again serve as an architectural and cultural landmark of the island.
