Friday, May 5, 2023, 01:15
Mikel Duñabeitia, from Andra Mari, and Óscar Caujape, from Algorta, are the two 40-year-old from Getxo who will manage the Neguri station building, in which they will open a hotel business linked to the world of railways and culture after winning the award public for 120,000 euros. They are partners, they work in the world related to construction and they are willing to fulfill “the dream of having a catering establishment because we always liked it”.
In the absence of fully outlining it, because the concession is recent, his project involves “opening a bar-restaurant with elaborate cuisine, with casseroles, snacks and everything typical of such a place.” As Dañobeitia says, it all started from an architectural crush: “The station building seemed super attractive to me.” So she discussed it with his partner and friend, and very soon they both decided that they were going to bid in the open public tender for the Euskal Trenbide Sarea (ETS).
His initial plan consists of “opening a casual quality establishment, for older people and young people, with zero kilometer seasonal products.” Inside, they intend to use “a decoration adapted with a retrospective look at Basque railway history”. Actually, it is the essence of this original building from the old Bilbao-Plentzia train line, the only one still standing in Uribe Kosta next to the one in the fishing village. Among the materials they intend to use are “brass, copper, iron and wood.” They even consider the possibility that it has “a chimney as a coal bunker like the ones that steam trains had,” explains Duñabeitia.
exhibitions and concerts
The bar-restaurant “will be of quality and very open to culture.” It will host exhibitions and shuffle organize concerts. “We want it to be a claim for the people,” he says, before adding that they intend to “put the outdoor terrace to good use.”
Both are delighted with the location and the characteristics of this protected construction, similar to those that were built in all the stations and that housed the ticket offices where the tickets were sold, the station manager’s office, a waiting area for users and toilets, generally.
All the reform of the interior is carried out by the two successful bidders, who are engaged in preparing the final project. They still do not have dates for the opening, although their idea is to carry out the works “as soon as possible”. As it is a protected property, they will have to have the approval of the Heritage Department of the Provincial Council, the Getxo City Council and ETS in the reform.
The concession of the contract is for “15 years, extendable per year up to a maximum of 10”. From Euskal Trenbide Sarea they specified that two proposals were submitted to the contest. The one that obtained the most points in the technical evaluation and, therefore, was in first place in that phase, was not actually the final dealer. Subsequently, “when the envelope containing the conditions of the economic offer was opened, it was found that it did not meet the conditions of the specifications. Therefore, it was not admitted for processing, “explains an ETS spokesperson. So the winner has been from Duñabeitia and Caujape.
