The Eixample district is the heart of Barcelona because of its geographic location and for being the most important business, economical and shopping district of the city.
The name Eixample (or Ensanche, in Catalan) means “extension” and this is the reason why the area was born, when the city needed to expand during the XIX Century and the Industrial Revolution.
The original project by the architect Ildefonso Cerda was that of a garden city, with wide open spaces, buildings of maximum three floors very distant from each other, and no social class difference as all streets were supposed to look the same.
This initial project was criticized by the bourgeoisie and was subjected to several changes.
The main character of the Eixample is its regular geometrical shape clearly visible on bird view pictures of the city.
The Eixample includes 6 quarters: Eixample Izquierda (split into Antigua Izquierda and Nueva Izquierda), Eixample Dreta (o Derecha), Sagrada Familia, Fort Pienc, and Sant Antoni.
The areas were progressively built as the city grew, and differ a lot from each other,
The part of the Eixample that goes from Calle Aribau to Paseo Sant Joan is also referred to as the Golden Square, and it contains the greatest amount of modernist buildings of the city of Barcelona.
Nueva Izquierda Eixample
As the name suggests, this part of the Eixample Izquierda (Left Eixample) developed after the older Antigua Izquierda. Construction in this area did not increase until the Thirties. Before that decade, the area was inhabited by few people who worked in the building sites of the 1929 Exhibition. Since the Thirties, and especially after the Second World War, the area developed as residential zone for the medium class of Barcelona.
While less than the Dreta and the Antigua Izquierda, the area still features some interesting landmarks. Among these we find: Can Batllo, which was originally the factory owned by Mr. Batllo (who lived in the magnificent Casa Batllo, on Paseo de Gracia), and is now an industrial school; the old “Matadero”, now Parque Joan Miro (pictured below); and the Arena, which has now been turned into a large shopping centre, while preserving the original architecture (thankfully, bull fights are forbidden in Catalunya).
Today the Nueva Izquierda Eixample is a lively residential area, full of shops, amenities such as bars, cafes and restaurants, and a wide range of services (gyms, schools, medical centres, clinics, beauty centres, etc.).
Transport links in the Nueva Izquierda Eixample are excellent, with several underground stops, and buses.
The Properties in the Nueva Izquierda Eixample
Properties in this area are less expensive than in the Eixample Dreta and the Antigua Izquierda, but they are still more expensive than in other areas of Barcelona.
They are also fairly more recent so it is easier to find buildings with lifts, balconies, terraces, and other features that have become usual in the more modern standard of construction.
The area still offers some buildings from the early XX Century, especially the Thirties.
Properties in this area are usually good quality, and buildings are often already renovated. When the flats need renovation, the refurbishment is less challenging than in the historical city centre.
However, properties here also have less character as it is harder to find features such as the hydraulic floors or the Catalan vaulted ceilings, which make Barcelona flats so unique and charming.
We can help you assess the quality of a property and taking care of the renovation, in full respect of the regulations and the care required by any type of properties.
Properties in the Nueva Izquierda Eixample represent a good investment. It is a very good area to live in if you are planning to move to Barcelona, due to its central location and its availability of shops and services.
If you are planning a buy-to-let investment, it is one of the best areas to invest in as there is a very high demand for flats in this area, especially by students of the local universities and professionals who work in the large companies between Barcelona and the airport.
Prices in the Eixample
The average price per m2 in the district of the Eixample has remained stable over the past year (source Habitaclia, October 201).
The current price per m2 of 5.577,07 € is the average of the prices in all the areas of the district, which includes lower prices in the Sagrada Familia, Sant Antoni and Fort Pienc areas, and higher prices in the other areas.
Prices per m2 in the Nueva Izquierda Eixample can substantially vary depending on the type of building and on the features of the flat.
As in all the other areas, penthouses and properties with “special” features (terraces, beautiful few, or else) can reach prices per m2 well above the average but most of the flats can be acquired for a more reasonable price, especially if the property needs some renovation.
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