As the iconic towers of the Sagrada Família reach for the Barcelona sky, signalling the near completion of Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece in height, attention is now turning to its final, grand entrance: the Glory facade. But for the residents living in the shadow of the basilica on Carrer de Mallorca, this next chapter brings not celebration, but a profound sense of anxiety. They face an uncertain future, caught in a decades-long saga over a monumental staircase that could see their homes demolished.
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For years, a cloud of ambiguity has hung over the flats and businesses directly opposite the planned facade. Esteve Camps, president of the temple’s Construction Board, maintains that the grand staircase leading to the main entrance is an “indisputable” part of Gaudí’s original vision. He insists, “the staircase will be built.” This plan, however, would require the demolition of at least one large residential block, potentially affecting two entire city blocks between the streets of Marina and Sardenya.
A Contested Vision
The conflict hinges on the authenticity of the staircase plan. While the temple’s board is adamant, residents have fought back. In 2018, residents unearthed a 1975 document from the Ministry of Culture. They argue it proves Antoni Gaudí never designed the sprawling stairway or the access plaza, which would necessitate widespread demolition. This discrepancy lies at the heart of the dispute, pitting the foundation’s interpretation of the architect’s legacy against the lives and homes of hundreds of citizens.
“Officially, the board wants the two blocks,” explains Fernando Díaz Lastra, president of the residents’ association for the Carrer de Mallorca building, who has lived in his flat since 1976. “Now, you don’t feel comfortable at home, because we are restless, nor outside, with the overcrowding and the loss of shops… The neighbourhood is being completely lost.”
The City Council as Arbiter
Caught in the middle is Barcelona’s City Council. Mayor Jaume Collboni’s administration made it clear it will have the final word on any changes to public space or housing. Jordi Valls, Deputy Mayor and councillor for the Eixample district, has outlined three core principles for any potential agreement.
“No agreement will proceed without first providing a solution to the housing needs of the project’s affected neighbours,” Valls stated. He asserted that any plan must minimise the number of affected homes, guarantee residents are rehoused in new properties nearby, and ensure the temple’s board bears the full financial cost. The council confirmed it is in talks with both the Construction Board and residents, but progress remains slow. The city promised to define the project’s scope and its solution before 2027.
A Life on Hold
For those living in limbo, this protracted uncertainty has a real human cost. Residents are hesitant to invest in their properties, with simple decisions like replacing windows becoming fraught with doubt. Property values reportedly dropped, and daily stress is palpable. The main building affected, a large block by developer Núñez y Navarro on Carrer de Mallorca and Passatge Font, has become an unwilling tourist attraction.
“Those men are shameless. Why do we have to leave our homes?” an elderly resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told El País. “They do what they want, they have built columns that step on the pavement, they invent the staircase… and where have you ever seen this non-stop noise for 40 years?”
So frustrated are the residents with tour guides telling visitors their building is slated for demolition, that they have hung signs on its entrance reading: “¡No mintáis más!” (“Stop Lying!”).
Joan, who works in the building’s porter’s lodge, describes the situation as a “hot potato that has been passed from hand to hand for 50 years.” He adds, “If the city decides it must be knocked down, it has to give us something under the same conditions. But perhaps the Sagrada Família will react, because who wants this stain on their reputation?”
A Neighbourhood Under Pressure
The issue extends beyond the residential block, affecting the very fabric of the neighbourhood. As tourist numbers swell, local businesses are squeezed out. Simón, a tenant in one of the building’s commercial spaces, is moving out after his rent was doubled from €600 to €1,200. Jaume, whose advertising design agency occupied an adjacent unit for 25 years, is also leaving. “The environment has changed a lot,” he says. “There is hardly any neighbourhood commerce left, and finding a lunch menu that isn’t for tourists is almost impossible.”
The irony of demolishing centrally located homes amidst a city-wide housing crisis is not lost on residents. This issue mirrors broader challenges in districts like Eixample, where major urban renewal projects like the redevelopment of the former La Model prison are also underway. “I am an artist and I value the Sagrada Família, but rights come first,” says David, another tenant. “Demolishing housing is not the best option.”
Calls for Clarity
Salvador Barroso, a lawyer and president of the Association of Affected Residents, expresses deep frustration at the lack of direct communication. “The last conversation between residents and the City Council was in the summer of 2023,” he laments. “Since then, we know nothing. We ask them to put themselves in the residents’ shoes, and to think that nobody likes to know they have a sword of Damocles hanging over them and not know how, when, or in what way it will fall.”
A potential, though unconfirmed, part of the solution emerged in 2019. The Sagrada Família purchased a large plot of land from the water company Aguas de Barcelona just one block away. Many interpreted this move as a preparatory step to construct new housing for displaced residents. For now, however, it remains speculation. Those affected are left waiting for certainty on a project that continues to shape their lives, their homes, and their city.
