The headquarters of Caixa Geral de Depósitos, the Campus XXI building in Lisbon is to be remodelled to accommodate more government services. The government plans to invest 16.5 million euros in remodelling the space. Part of the government structure is already housed in the building, but the work is seen as essential to expand capacity and modernise the facilities.
The government said in a statement that it had "approved a Resolution of the Council of Ministers authorising the General Secretariat of the Government (SG-Gov) to incur expenditure on the refurbishment of the Campus XXI building, up to a maximum of 16.5 million euros, between this year and 2026".
This process, developed as part of the organic and functional reform of the State's Central Administration, "provides for the adaptation of the spaces previously occupied by Caixa Geral de Depósitos, so that they can be made available to members of the Government and public entities", with a view to "concentrating them in one place for greater efficiency, agility and maximisation of resources, as well as freeing up public buildings for housing and profitability".
In July of last year, António Leitão Amaro, Portugal's Minister for the Presidency, said that this move is also "an opportunity to save taxpayers money. It is estimated that in a normal year, 19 to 20 million euros will be saved on space costs alone, rents, logistics, cleaning, security, electricity and the car fleet," reads a statement from the Executive. The Campus XXI concentration "will free up three buildings leased to private individuals" and "27 more state buildings that can be put to various uses at the service of the people".
This change will allow "a better response capacity. We work more closely together, more coordinated, providing better responses, more quickly and in a more participatory and collaborative way," Leitão Amaro said at the time.