Headquarters of the National lottery for 76 years, the El Moro Building It will suffer remodeling, maintenance and rehabilitation work, as it continues with damage after the earthquakes of 2017 and subsequent years. To date, the property continues to be cordoned off with a yellow tape to prevent passersby from approaching.
In the iconic building of Walk of the Reformation you can see cracks and landslides, as well as a canvas that announces its future rehabilitation. The announcement details that the rehabilitation will last several months and that with the aim of protecting its architectural and artistic heritage “the recommendations and requirements established by the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL) and the Secretary of Urban Development will be met.” and Housing of Mexico City (Seduvi)”.
However, the National Lottery reported that the work on the El Moro Building will not affect office services, prize payments or raffles. The property continues to operate since 2017, after corroborating that it had no structural damage from the earthquake on September 19.
History of the El Moro Building
For several years it was considered the tallest building in Mexico City. It was inaugurated on November 28, 1946before the Latin American Tower, and is recognized as one of the first skyscrapers in the city.
This emblematic venue stands out for having been the first in the world to have a foundation known as: Elastic Flotation System. Thanks to this system, the building is safe and resistant to earthquakes. The Moor has 29 floors and a height of 107 meters. It was also the first in Latin America to display a luminous neon gas sign. In addition, from its facilities the television signal of channel 4 XHTV was transmitted for the first time.
El Moro is considered an important work for the architecture and engineering of the city. Its construction was in charge of the architects: Manuel Ortiz Monasterio, Bernardo Calderón and Luis Ávila, in collaboration with the structural engineer Guillermo Martín Plata.
The peculiar aesthetic of El Moro was pioneer in the style that would characterize Paseo de la Reforma. Giving rise to an important architectural current in the city that it permeated the constructions of a nascent modernity: art deco. The years have passed and with them different renovations and transformations of the city. Nevertheless, El Moro continues to be a classic of the capital’s architecture from the last century, one of the greatest emblems of the Tabacalera neighborhood.
Rodrigo Osegueda Philosopher by training. Contemplate the soul and imagination of Mexico.