Mexico’s Lottery Headquarters Under Construction
Author:
Jacob McKenzie
La Lotería Nacional of Mexico is moving forward with building restorations on its iconic building. The structure, called “El Moro,” has been the headquarters of the national lottery service for more than 70 years. Unfortunately, the building was also the site of some destruction during earthquakes that occurred in September of this year.
An iconic building in Mexico City – the headquarters of the National Lottery – will be undergoing renovations soon. Perenganita Martinez/Unsplash
El Moro: An icon of Mexico City
The “Lotería Nacional Edificio El Moro” is located at Colonia Tabacalera on Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City, the nation’s capital city. It was one of the city’s first skyscrapers and has enjoyed a storied history, having been constructed in 1946. Some people also call it La Lotería, a nickname inspired by its long connection to the National Lottery housed there.
The National Lottery occupied several temporary spaces for some years before the building was finally opened. It is located on a property of 2,000 m2, and is constructed out of steel, glass and concrete in an art deco style. Because the building had similarities in look to Moorish storefronts at the time, it was nicknamed “El Moro” by the builders working on it.
Interestingly, the building was also assessed for its safety in the face of earthquakes back in the 1930s, as it was a known problem in the region already. Ultimately it was allowed to be built and the construction was even taller than originally intended, thanks to approval by Mexico’s president at the time. It also marked a change in local construction, ushering in an era of taller constructions in Mexico City. It is said that El Moro may have even been the location of the first neon sign in all of Latin America.
Unfortunately after many decades, the building has suffered due to both recent earthquakes and general decay. It had some structural issues that needed to be addressed even before September 2022, but which were exacerbated by the earthquakes.
It has now been announced that the renovations will be in progress over a period of a few months. These are taking place with support from both the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL) and the Secretary of Urban Development and Housing of Mexico City (SEDUVI). These organizations are working together on El Moro to ensure that it maintains its iconic facade and stays true to its history, but becomes safe to work in again.
The lottery’s director, Margarita González Saravia, has confirmed that the building renovation will go on with the support of both the federal government as well as the municipal government. She confirmed that creating a safe building is a top priority.
Engineer Charbel Gómez Ruiz is in charge of the reconstruction. There is still much work to be done, according to Ruiz, who explained that the first step is a detailed report on the stability of the building. This will be assessed based on measuring changes to the facade that have occurred both over time and due to the recent tremors.
From there, the challenge is to plan renovation that is up to date with current regulations, but that also does not change the feeling of the building too much. Ruiz also assured locals that it is not a danger to walk around the building since the damage caused over the years does not pose an immediate threat.
Rather, he explained, now is simply a good time to carry out the work before the issues become worse. As for the National Lottery, all business continues as usual. The lottery maintains its operations across several buildings, so the work at El Moro will not disrupt its usual offerings.
Managers of the National Lottery recently met to discuss other changes in the works for the lottery. However, their focus was more on structural changes within the business rather than their headquarter building. Adapting to new technologies was a key point to the meeting.
