The Community of Madrid has moved ahead with a major renovation of the iconic Real Casa de Correos, awarding the design and project management contract without a public tender. Published on Friday, the contract assigns nearly €60,000 to the studio of Alejandra Pombo, a well-known interior designer and sister of influencer María Pombo. The regional government, led by Isabel Díaz Ayuso, is preparing works expected to cost around €1.65 million. The current contract covers the design phase, not construction.
The official justification for bypassing a competitive process rests on the building’s unique status. The Real Casa de Correos, a protected cultural landmark with historic artworks and valuable interiors, is described by regional authorities as requiring a “unique artistic intervention.” The government argues that the site’s complexity and sensitivity call for a specialized approach to restoration and modernization, while also addressing the building’s institutional image. It says those demands justify direct contracting.
The planned works will affect the ground-floor interior courtyards and the north wing of the second floor, where President Ayuso’s office is located. The renovation will cover 710 square meters on the ground level and 1,136 square meters on the second floor. The schedule gives three months to draft the project. It then allows four months to obtain permits and award the construction contract, followed by twelve months for the work itself. That brings the total to 19 months from start to finish.
The Real Casa de Correos is the historic building at Puerta del Sol that houses the Presidency of the Community of Madrid. In April 2026, the regional public company Planifica Madrid bought a penthouse in Chamberí for €6.3 million. The government initially said the property would provide President Ayuso with space during the headquarters rehabilitation, with works due to begin in August. Later reporting identified it as an approximately 485-square-metre property on Paseo del General Martínez Campos. The original purchase was also described as including a terrace of about 200 square meters.
The government’s explanation of the property’s intended use later evolved, with references to meetings and a multipurpose institutional space. After those plans changed, Planifica Madrid put the penthouse up for sale. El País reported that two attempts to sell it attracted no offers. The property remains available through an open-ended public-offer procedure, with a reported minimum asking price of €6,694,201, above the €6.3 million purchase price. The regional government said Planifica Madrid’s technical committee had extended the process and that the property’s information and technical specifications remained published on the regional contracting portal.
The acquisition has also drawn scrutiny from Spain’s Tribunal de Cuentas, the public-finance audit institution. In October 2026, the Community of Madrid asked the tribunal to close its investigation into the purchase. The request did not itself end the investigation. The government’s decision to seek a buyer after presenting the property as a temporary base during the headquarters renovation has become part of wider criticism over the purchase’s necessity and transparency.
Alejandra Pombo’s studio has worked on other high-profile public projects in Madrid. The firm transformed the gastronomic spaces at the Palacio de Cibeles, including the Cornamusa restaurant and Azotea Cibeles. Its work there also included Café Cibeles. The regional government maintains that Pombo’s experience and the artistic demands of the Real Casa de Correos justify the direct award.
The last major investment in the building was the 2025 facade restoration, which cost €963,197.17 and included repairs to the roof and decorative elements. The project was linked to the 40th anniversary of the building serving as the seat of the regional government. The current renovation is more extensive and has reignited debate over public spending and procurement practices in Madrid.
Madrid’s approach to managing its historic buildings has drawn attention in recent years, as other Spanish cities have faced similar challenges balancing heritage preservation with modernization. For example, the change of Seville’s city government under Luis Uruñuela in the late 1970s set a precedent for ambitious municipal reforms, as detailed in this report on Seville’s political changes. The work at the Real Casa de Correos highlights the complexities and controversies that can arise when public institutions invest in their own infrastructure.
Spain’s public procurement laws allow direct awards in cases deemed to require unique expertise or artistic input, but such decisions often attract scrutiny. Located in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol, the Real Casa de Correos is a symbol of regional power and a focal point for civic life and tourism. Any impressive alteration to its structure or use is likely to remain under close public and media observation as the project progresses.
