Madrid Orders Casa Árabe to Vacate Escuelas Aguirre by September

The Ayuntamiento de Madrid has ordered Casa Árabe to vacate the landmark Escuelas Aguirre building by September 1, 2026, citing structural deterioration and financial mismanagement during the tenure of former director Irene Lozano. The council will rehabilitate the building for municipal use.

What happened

Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida announced the recovery of the building after the Community of Madrid left the Casa Árabe consortium in January, triggering a clause in the 2008 transfer agreement that allows the city to reclaim the property without compensation Source: ABC. The council gave Casa Árabe until September 1 to leave Source: El Mundo.

Reasons for eviction

Almeida accused Lozano of leaving the institution in bankruptcy and the building in disrepair. Key points:

• Structural problems: The building needs urgent consolidation and conservation work that was not carried out Source: Infobae.
• Financial mismanagement: Casa Árabe ran deficits in 2023 and 2024, and the Tribunal de Cuentas criticized its management Source: El Español.
• "Chiringuito": Almeida called Casa Árabe "el chiringuito de Irene Lozano" and a waste of public money Source: El Mundo.

What's next

The council will study the building's pathologies and carry out restoration works before deciding on a future municipal use . It has offered to help Casa Árabe find a new location but will not provide another municipal building . The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by José Manuel Albares, did not respond to the council's requests for dialogue .