Montevideo corner's 130-year journey from mansion to supermarket site

The corner of José Martí and Benito Blanco in Montevideo's Pocitos neighborhood has witnessed a dramatic urban transformation over 130 years. What began as the elegant "Villa Sara" mansion in 1896, built by wealthy landowner Tomás Clodomiro de Arteaga and designed by architect Emilio Boix y Merino, has undergone numerous changes.

Initially a symbol of high society with lavish parties and political gatherings, the mansion's fate shifted after Arteaga's death. In 1907, Italian businessman Jaime Giacomo Molfino purchased the property and transformed it into the "Palace Hotel Pocitos," catering to a primarily Argentine clientele. The hotel's grandeur, however, was short-lived.

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Family banquets, political and business meetings, extensive summer days, ostentatious gala parties, gave brilliance and identity to that privileged corner of the famous spa, located just a few meters from the beach.

In 1944, the hotel closed, and the building entered state hands. It served as the headquarters for the Sanitation Directorate of the Ministry of Public Works and later, in 1952, became the central office for OSE, the public water company. By 1971, OSE relocated, and the historic building eventually housed military departments during the dictatorship before falling into disrepair.

Following its demolition, the site hosted various culinary ventures, including a restaurant inspired by the avant-garde artist Dalí. This building, along with adjacent structures, was recently demolished. Now, a supermarket chain is set to occupy the lot, marking the latest chapter in the corner's long and varied history.

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spacious and sumptuous