The mayor of Marbella, Ángeles Muñoz, has announced that the public elderly residence at Trapiche del Prado will be completed before the end of 2026 and will open its doors at the beginning of 2027. The centre, which will occupy a plot of over 10,000 square meters, will feature two residential buildings and landscaped areas.
The future public elderly residence at Trapiche del Prado, in Marbella, will be fully completed before the end of this year 2026 and will begin operations in early 2027, once the administrative procedures are completed. This was confirmed this Thursday by the mayor, Ángeles Muñoz, during a visit to the construction site alongside representatives of the family of Mateo Álvarez, the promoter of the donation of the estate to the municipality.
A unique social and heritage project in Marbella
The mayor expressed gratitude to the Álvarez family for making possible an initiative that will provide Marbella with its first public residence for the elderly. "Mateo Álvarez decided to donate such an important estate to the city, with a wonderful trapiche and all the history behind it, so that it would be for the people and for those who need it most, our elderly," Muñoz stated.
The heirs have maintained their commitment to the donor's wishes from the very beginning, despite the enormous heritage and economic value of the property. "The family conveyed to us that they did not want to reclaim any possession and that their only wish was for the public purpose that Mateo Álvarez intended for all the residents to be fulfilled," the mayor emphasized.
The care complex has been developed on a plot of over 10,000 square meters and will feature extensive landscaped areas, two residential buildings, fully equipped rooms with private bathrooms and natural light, as well as common spaces aimed at improving the quality of life for future users. "It will be a residence that the elderly can enjoy and that will, of course, bear the name of Mateo Álvarez, because he and his family are the ones who made it possible," Muñoz affirmed.
Recovery of Trapiche de Guadaiza: memory and culture
The mayor also highlighted the comprehensive recovery of the Trapiche de Guadaiza, a unique building in Europe that will become one of the central elements of the complex. "We understood that it was necessary to recover the memory and history of this wonderful building, and a magnificent job has been done that will allow us to reconcile its cultural value with the service that the future residence will provide," she explained.
The City Council also wants to preserve the memory linked to the estate and the charitable gesture of Mateo Álvarez. "We want to collect many of his memories so that no one forgets the origin of this donation and to thank the effort and perseverance they have maintained over all these years," the mayor indicated.
The total investment has been financed with European funds, contributions from the Junta de Andalucía, and municipal resources. "We knew it was a very important investment, but we have managed to bring together all the administrations so that today this project is a reality and we can affirm that it will be fully completed during this year 2026," Muñoz pointed out.
Timelines and management: towards the opening in 2027
The City Council is already working in parallel on all the necessary procedures to minimise the opening timeline of the centre. "We are already processing the furniture and also the terms for the management of the residence with the aim of opening its doors as soon as possible as a public residence at the service of the residents of Marbella, just as Mateo Álvarez wanted," the mayor indicated.
The civil works will conclude this year, and over the coming months, landscaping work will begin on the site. "Our expectation is that the residence will be operational at the beginning of next year because we are pushing all those procedures in parallel to save time," Muñoz pointed out.
For his part, Fernando Martín Álvarez, nephew of Mateo Álvarez, expressed "the emotion of the entire family upon seeing the state of the works that turn a commitment made over three decades ago into reality" and specifically thanked the mayor for the momentum given to complete a project whose donation was formalised in 1992. "Those who can no longer see it would be happy to know that Mateo's dream has finally been fulfilled," he assured.
He also highlighted the respect with which the historic family home, where he spent part of his childhood, has been restored. "They have done a wonderful restoration, without losing the essence of the house, and it is exciting to see that this place will now have a social utility for so many elderly people," he stated.
The residence, which will bear the name of Mateo Álvarez, will become a benchmark for the elderly in Marbella, who will finally have a public residential care centre. Interested residents will be able to check the admission timelines and requirements once the management terms are published, presumably over the coming months.
You may also like
