As public offices often reveal their plans in quiet conversations, the new direction proposed by Álvaro García Ortiz aimed to merge two central headquarters of the State Attorney General’s Office. The idea was to strengthen oversight by combining central bodies, experts, and generalists, hoping that a united front would increase effectiveness. The speaker expressed hope that this plan would become a reality, signaling a strategic shift in how the state’s legal apparatus could operate more cohesively.
Behind these words lay a broader strategy that touched two powerful institutions: the Justice Organization and the Ministry of Justice. At the core of the discussion stood the Insurance Compensation Consortium, a public-private entity created to cover losses in scenarios that private insurers might struggle to handle. The organization manages several properties in central Madrid and had begun a major renovation project with the goal of restoring a historic building to its former splendor while adapting it for current needs.
To understand the context, one must look back a few months. The consortium started work on the Casa Palacio at Paseo de la Castellana 19, a landmark site that mixes luxury with aging infrastructure. The renovation, initially estimated at more than 13 million euros, sought to bring the property up to market demands and prepare it for tenancy to a corporate occupant. Yet at the same time, the State Attorney General’s Office pressed forward with a different plan: to consolidate its two headquarters into a single, unified home within that same complex.
Adjacent buildings
Several specialized offices operate scattered around Madrid, including contacts at 57 Ortega y Gasset Street. The prosecutors’ main HQ sits at Fortuny Street 4, a building that lies in close proximity to the consortium’s holdings. This proximity is a factor in the Prosecutor’s Office’ ambition to secure the Castellana property for its own use.
The current headquarters sits next to the Insurance Compensation Consortium’s building, a fact that underscores how interlinked the two institutions are in this unfolding scenario. Ignacio Garcia notes the current setup where the two entities share the surrounding streetscape and infrastructure, highlighting the tangible reality of the cross-institutional dispute.
Castellana 19, a property of about 5,120 square meters, comprises two volumes: a five-story block and a three-story block connected by a central veranda. The building’s history includes tenants such as the National Securities Exchange Commission (CNMV), and the owner has expressed interest in replicating that mixed-tenant model with a new occupant, fixed or variable in nature.
Currently, the situation remains competitive. The prosecutors are determined to retain or acquire the building for their own use, while the consortium expects to decide whether to lease or retain ownership according to its financial strategy. Market observers report that a multinational company has already shown interest in relocating its Madrid head office to the site and is prepared to pay a substantial rent. Several other potential tenants have been in contact as well, according to industry sources.
Advisory firms CBRE and the architecture and construction teams—Bovis, Ruiz-Larrea Studio, and Grupo Ortiz—participated in presenting the project. While the official confirmation on tenant negotiations was not provided, the involvement of these firms underscores the commercial and strategic importance of Castellana 19 for both public and private stakeholders.
The mediation of Félix Bolaños or Carlos Body?
Beyond the immediate players, other political and administrative figures have entered the scene. Félix Bolaños, the minister responsible for coordinating relations with the presidency and the judiciary, and Carlos Body, recently named minister of economy, appear as pivotal actors in this evolving cross-fight between the semi-public institution and the justice sector. Their presence adds a layer of political pressure that could influence decisions about financing and property use.
The Insurance Consortium, wary of pressure from the Ministry of Justice and the economy portfolio, considers how to respond to potential mandates to rent or sell the Castellana asset. The building itself dates back to 1903 and was significantly renovated in 1986. The consortium explains that its role is to own properties and to rent them, always with an eye toward anticipating unforeseen circumstances and maintaining a stable portfolio for future contingencies.
Given the tenor of the discussions surrounding the new State Attorney General, García Ortiz is expected to use every available tool to steer Castellana 19 toward a unified headquarters arrangement. Prosecutors argue there is strong interest in combining the two current spaces under one administration, a move that would require agreement from multiple public and private stakeholders. When questions were posed to the Ministry of Justice, the Insurance Compensation Consortium, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, responses were not provided in this phase of the process.
In short, Castellana 19 stands at the center of a tug-of-war that pits procedural consolidation against commercial interests. The outcome will likely shape how the state’s legal and financial bodies collaborate in Madrid for years to come, illustrating how administrative reorganization can intersect with real estate strategy and public accountability. [Source: industry reports and public records compiled for analysis.]