Madrid's ancient Beti Jai Fronton, originally constructed in 1894, was a "Cathedral" of Basque Pelota until 1919. After that it was used for various other functions, including an auto factory, Civil War police station and jail, and a brewery. Over the years it has fallen into disrepair resembling ruins. It is the last 19th Century fronton in Madrid. It was an outdoor fronton of 67x20x11 meters that seated 4,000 in its prime.
From 1989-2015, via a series of land purchases and an Official Bulletin of the Community of Madrid declaration of "Good of Cultural Interest," it has passed into the hands of the City Council. A contest was held for the best rehabilitation plan. In November of 2018 the contest was won by the "Bizitza Berria" ("New Life") plan produced by architects Javier Coronado Palomero and Amelia Rodriquez dela Torre Somoza. The central idea behind the winning plan was "to obtain the best architectural proposal for this space, with the aim of making compatible the preservation of the heritage values of the building with the most appropriate technical solutions for its possible sporting and cultural uses." The plan is now in litigation over a number of issues, one of which is the efficacy of a glass roof with respect to "Good of Cultural Interest."
One of the ultimate aims of the rehabilitation is a UNESCO declaration of the Fronton as a World Heritage Site. The wheels of litigation turn slowly, but hopefully a solution can be obtained and the Fronton, with or without a roof, can be rehabilitated. Hopefully, soon, the "Cathedral" will be restored.
Note: all English quotes have been obtained through Google Translate. Hopefully, I have gotten the essence of the story.
Beti Jai: The Last Surviving Basque Pelota Historic Fronton in Madrid
(HTML version) (MAS Context, No. 28, Winter 2015, P. 102-122--.pdf version)
The story, from 1894-2015, in English.
All below articles and videos (except for the contest winner announcement (English) are in Castilian
Beti Jai Home Page
Bizitza Berria para el Beti Jai: la nueva vida del frontón de Madrid (Marca, February 9, 2019 via Jai Alai News Facebook)
Detailed article covering the history and the issues.
Contest winner announcement with architectural drawings (metalocus.es)
El Beti-Jai se queda sin proyecto por decreto municipal (El Mundo, February, 15, 2019). The latest news.
De la ruina y el Esplendor (Cronicas documentary, RTVE, Jan. 15, 2018 (43:36)
Memorias del Beti Jai (ABC TV documentary, 10:59)
Fronton Beti Jai: Patrimonio en Peligro (patrimonio UC3M Youtube, 2:05)
