CAF will build new headquarters for the Southern region in Montevideo

In an event that included the participation of CAF's Executive President, Enrique Garcia, CAF's Director Representative in Uruguay, Gladis Genua, Montevideo's Mayor, Ana Olivera, as well as governmental authorities and regional personalities, the Mayor's Office of Montevideo officially ceded the site of the old Central Market to CAF, Development Bank of Latin America, who will build its new local headquarters in the emblematic building of the Old City. The Institution has offices in the country since 2010. 

CAF's Executive President, Enrique Garcia, stated that, "through this commitment, CAF will not only strengthen its presence in Uruguay and all the Southern region, but will also continue to consolidate its role in all its shareholder countries. The renovation of these facilities will also give us the opportunity to contribute to the recovery of an emblematic space in the city and the cultural development of Uruguay." 

Garcia pointed out that CAF's office in Montevideo will also be an office with a regional character, "which will allow us to be closer to our clients and offer better services to shareholder countries." 

During the event carried out on site at the former Central Market, the Mayor of Montevideo, Ana Olivera, stated that, "the connection that CAF has with Montevideo is very important in diverse activities," and highlighted that CAF, "insisted in contributing to the city," which is why, "the new headquarters will be charged with symbolism and is a real contribution to the Department of Montevideo. At the same time, CAF's new headquarters will be located within the so-called Barrio de las Artes (Neighborhood of the Arts) "an emblematic area in Montevideo with a wide-range of cultural activities." 

For its future headquarters, CAF carried out a National Contest of architectural preliminary designs in 2012, sponsored by the Mayor's Office of Montevideo and the Sociedad de Arquitectos del Uruguay (SAU) (Association of Architects of Uruguay). The awarded proposal belonged to architects Carlos Labat, Pierino Porta, Nicolas Scioscia and Fernando Romero (LAPS Arquitectos). 

With a total investment of close to USD 25 million, CAF's offices will cover close to 10 thousand square meters of construction, parking, services and cinematographic complex. The Fun Fun bar will encompass 5,500 square meters, and the public spaces which will be at the disposal of the Mayor's Office, will encompass 8,000 square meters. The financial institution will carry out a call for bids for the construction of the building which is estimated to take up to two years. 

This project, aimed at merging urban and environmental quality with functional and economic efficiency, also includes CAF's offices, the remodeling of the iconic Fun Fun bar, as well as the construction of a cinematographic cultural complex, gastronomical spaces, an interior forest, and an underground parking with more than 300 spaces. To successfully complete this building, some premises have been defined aiming at sustainability, such as a system to capture rain waters, a lighting and heating system using energy efficiency criteria, and obtaining the LEED (leader in energy and environmental design) certification.