The proposed award of the works to build an access ramp to the Menador brings the contract close to finalization. The Contracting Board of the City Council of Castelló has agreed to propose the Castellón-based construction company Becsa as the contractor for the project for 86,500 euros (VAT included) after completing the evaluation of the sole bid submitted. With this step, the council faces the final stage of an intervention requested to resolve the accessibility issues of the main entrance of the cultural building located in Plaza Huerto Sogueros.
The project has an execution period of four months and will replace the current system of stairs and mechanical platforms with a ramp. The company obtained a total score of 19.5 out of 50 points, all corresponding to subjective evaluation criteria. It received 12 points for the work programming and 7.5 for the study and knowledge of the planned tasks. However, it did not score in improvements or automatic criteria, as it submitted a bid aligned with the base tender budget, without any discount, and did not propose an extension of the warranty period.
The intervention involves a significant transformation of the main access to the Menador to adapt it to universal accessibility requirements. The project includes the partial demolition of the existing slab and the construction of an inclined reinforced concrete slab supported by a metal structure and specific foundations, all without affecting the protected elements of the emblematic building. It also includes the replacement of current pavements and finishes, the installation of new railings and double handrails adapted to current regulations, and the relocation of various installations affected by the intervention. The objective is to continuously overcome the 92-centimeter level difference between the street and the interior of the building.
The future ramp aims to correct one of the main deficiencies the Menador has had since its reopening in 2017 as a gallery and sociocultural center. Over the years, entities such as Cocemfe Castelló or Frater, along with opposition groups like Compromís, had repeatedly questioned the effectiveness of the individual platform system installed at the entrances, considering it slow and inefficient for activities with high public attendance. Now, through this intervention, the City Council intends to address a historic demand and ensure fully inclusive access to one of the most representative cultural facilities in the city center.
