A Kitchen Where the Bar Used to Be

A measure of the popularity of this trend is that Spain’s biggest online real estate advertiser, idealista.com, is advertising many commercial properties in Madrid that are described as potential homes.

That means that in compliance with City Council requirements, their facades are at least 10 feet long and 8 feet high, enabling windows to be put in, which would guarantee light and ventilation. Another stipulation for conversion to residential use is that the floor must be on or above street level, but not a centimeter below.

Some of the regulations, which vary from town to town, can seem rather arbitrary.

Miriam Mackay, 74, sold her apartment on the coast in Mallorca to buy a property in Madrid, where she spent most of her working life as a civil servant. Her future home — a shop that sold televisions for four decades before a brief stint as a music academy — may not have a sea view, but it opens onto a tiny rose garden that she is looking forward to sharing with neighbors.

But she is worried that the license will not be granted if she does not install the regulation shutters over the windows to guarantee enough darkness to sleep at night.

“You’d think that’s what curtains are for,” she said, rolling her eyes.

Even if that issue is resolved, Ms. Mackay may be in for a long wait. Mr. Fuentes, the urban planning councilor, admits that it takes six months, on average, for licenses to come through.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/realestate/housing-spain-converting-shops.html