The Governor participated in the celebrations for the centenary of the emblematic Mendoza building and highlighted the restoration of its historic stained glass windows. Along with Ulpiano Suarez, he emphasized the importance of preserving architectural heritage, strengthening commerce, and attracting visitors
Additionally, he linked the recovery interventions with the strategy for revitalizing the Mendoza center, considering that enhancing historical buildings can help strengthen businesses, attract visitors, and generate opportunities for the inhabitants of the capital and nearby towns.
"Recovering spaces like Pasaje San Martín also contributes to revitalizing the center, strengthening its commercial activity, attracting visitors, and generating new opportunities for those who live in the city, but also in the surrounding areas," he stated.
Ulpiano Suarez highlighted the legacy of Pasaje San Martín for future generations
For his part, the mayor of the City of Mendoza, Ulpiano Suarez, highlighted the vision of Miguel Escorihuela Gascón, a winemaking entrepreneur and promoter of the building, who a century ago bet on constructing a nine-story structure in a city still marked by the consequences of the 1861 earthquake.
The municipal chief recalled that the project was considered excessive by some sectors of society at that time, but it ultimately became one of the most representative constructions of Mendoza.
"Cities grow when there is courage to challenge the established and transform ideas into enduring works," Suarez expressed.
He also suggested that the centenary represents an opportunity to reflect on urban development and the responsibility of current generations to promote projects that transcend political management.
"What will the people of Mendoza think in 2126 when they look at what we are doing now?" the mayor asked, highlighting the importance of leaving a legacy for the future of the city.
Pasaje San Martín: a century of architectural innovation in Mendoza
Pasaje San Martín was inaugurated on November 11, 1926, at the initiative of Miguel Escorihuela Gascón, a winemaking entrepreneur who promoted a project inspired by the great European commercial galleries.
Its construction incorporated technical and architectural innovations for the time. The reinforced concrete structure, commercial spaces, elevators, stained glass windows, and the dome marked a significant advance in the urban development of the provincial capital.
Over a century, the building accompanied the economic, social, and commercial transformations of Mendoza and established itself as part of the architectural heritage of the city.
As part of the celebrations, the book 100 Years of Pasaje San Martín: stories, histories, and testimonies (1926-2026) was also presented, a publication prepared by teachers and specialists from the Faculty of Architecture, Urbanism, and Design at the University of Mendoza, through the Institute of Architectural and Urban Culture.
The work gathers documents, plans, research, and testimonies that reconstruct the architectural and social history of the property. It was edited by Alicia Braverman, Liliana Girini, and Graciela Moretti, published by EdIUM, Editorial Idearium of the University of Mendoza, and sponsored by the Municipality of the City of Mendoza.
The activities for the centenary also include artistic proposals and tours of the interior of the building to bring its history closer to neighbors and visitors.
With the recovery of its historical spaces, Pasaje San Martín once again brings to the forefront the relationship between heritage, commercial activity, and urban development, in an effort to keep alive one of the most important architectural symbols of Mendoza.
The governor of Mendoza, Alfredo Cornejo, participated in the celebration of the 100 years of Pasaje San Martín, one of the most emblematic buildings in the provincial capital, and highlighted the importance of preserving historical heritage as a tool to promote urban, commercial, and tourist development.
During the event, the provincial leader emphasized the restoration work on the property, especially the restoration of its characteristic stained glass windows, and stated that preserving historical buildings also helps strengthen Mendoza's identity and create new economic opportunities for the City.
The event was attended by the mayor of the City of Mendoza, Ulpiano Suarez; the president of the Provincial Supreme Court of Justice, Dalmiro Garay; national senator Mariana Juri; the national queen of the Vendimia; and Paola Arcaná, administrator of the building's consortium. Representatives from the University of Mendoza, merchants, owners, and neighbors also participated.
Cornejo highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit that transformed Mendoza
During his speech, Cornejo recalled that the construction of Pasaje San Martín represented an innovative bet for Mendoza in the early 20th century. Although it initially generated doubts and resistance, it ultimately became an architectural and urban reference for the province.
"Pasaje San Martín is a building that is part not only of our history but also of our identity and the urban landscape of Mendoza. When that decision was made, it raised doubts, it raised resistance, but it ended up marking a before and after for the city," he stated.
Cornejo highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit that transformed Mendoza
The Governor considered that the building represents much more than an architectural work and highlighted the ability of the entrepreneurs of that time to drive projects that accompanied the province's growth.
"Pasaje San Martín was much more than an architectural innovation. It was a demonstration of the ability of the people of Mendoza to dare to do new things, to undertake, to think of a province that could grow and, at the same time, modernize," he pointed out.
In this regard, he recalled some of the characteristics that made the property a pioneering construction, such as the incorporation of elevators and the integration of housing, offices, and commercial premises within the same space.
The recovery of heritage as a driver of commercial activity
Cornejo emphasized that the historical value of Pasaje San Martín is not only found in its architectural features but also in the commercial activities and the stories of the people who keep the building alive.
Among its most distinctive elements, he mentioned the stained glass windows, the tower, and the dome, as well as the traditional businesses that continue to operate in its galleries. He highlighted Sastrería London, which celebrates 80 years of activity this year.
"There is something that makes it even more valuable. Pasaje San Martín is not just a historical construction; it is a place that continues to have life," he expressed.
The leader also congratulated those involved in the recovery efforts and stated that preserving heritage means keeping these spaces in conditions so that they continue to be part of everyday life.
"Preserving our heritage does not mean leaving it frozen in the past; it means giving it the conditions to remain useful, attractive, and part of the everyday life of the people of Mendoza," he affirmed.
