The Institute of Marine Sciences will be expanded in the premises now occupied by the Opium nightclub

The Barcelona City Council and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) have agreed to promote a project to expand the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), which will grow on the Paseo Marítimo de la Barceloneta, in an area now focused on nightlife. The agreement foresees that the State will transfer some of the premises it owns to the CSIC. The first planned premises are those currently occupied by the Opium nightclub, according to Jordi Martí, Councilor for Presidency and head of the Culture, Education and Science area.

The project foresees that the General State Administration will transfer to the CSIC the premises located directly in front of the Mediterranean Center for Marine and Environmental Research (CMIMA), potentially occupying a final area of 4,330 m², in a project that would be developed in two phases.

The CMIMA is located at Paseo Marítimo de Barcelona, ​​37-49, and includes the Institute of Marine Sciences and the Marine Technology Unit. The collaboration agreement contemplates expanding the Institute of Marine Sciences into the leisure premises on the promenade. Martí considers this agreement to be "very good news," as it will consolidate the research hub around Barcelona's coastline and at the same time contribute to "reducing the difficulties generated by the high concentration of nightlife" in this space, reports the ACN agency.

A first phase will be developed in the 2,565 m² premises located directly in front of the CMIMA, at number 51 of the Paseo Marítim, currently occupied by the popular nightclub of the Costa Este group. The agreement contemplates that, once the first phase is successfully completed, the project can be extended to the two adjacent premises, of 690 m² and 1,075 m², respectively. According to the City Council, these spaces would also be intended to incentivize scientific culture activities of other CSIC institutes in Barcelona, ​​its metropolitan area and Catalonia in order to promote scientific knowledge among citizens.

The expansion of the Institute of Marine Sciences is the result of the agreement signed between the President of the Government and the Mayor of Barcelona, ​​on February 7, 2020, to promote Barcelona's cultural and scientific capital status and also in the will to continue developing the city of Barcelona as a first-class scientific hub.