The corner of Corrientes Avenue and Callao Avenue, one of the most prominent corners in Buenos Aires and the site of a recently unveiled mural honoring Charly García, could disappear as you know it. The corner of Zivals—and now, home to the Charly mural— could be expropriated by the City Government to build one of the stations for the new F subway line.
What is the Zivals mural and where is it?
Martín Ron is one of the world’s most important muralists and the artist behind the mural dedicated to Charly García above the Zivals record store, on the corner of Corrientes and Callao avenues. It took him weeks to finish it, and Charly himself visited the site before the final coat of paint had dried.
The problem is that, while the mural is still going viral, the City Government is considering expropriating the building to construct Line F of the Buenos Aires subway.
Zivals is one of the best-known and most iconic record stores and bookstores in Buenos Aires. In fact, just recently, in May, it unveiled a monumental mural on its terrace as part of the celebrations for its 55th anniversary. The mural recreates the cover of Clics Modernos (1983), the album with which Charly García.
The mural covers 195 square meters and can be seen from any of the three corners of Corrientes and Callao. Thus, Zivals has already celebrated 55 years in business, and the city has gained a new mural of one of its musical icons.
But all this celebration could be overshadowed in the near future because the new Buenos Aires subway line—Line F—will run right through that very corner. And to make that new subway station a reality, the City Government plans to expropriate the building. Goodbye, Zivals? Goodbye, mural?
What is the route of the new F subway line and why does it affect Zivals?
Line F is the new subway line that will connect Barracas with Palermo. It’s a very important subway line because, in addition, with Line F you’ll be able to transfer to almost all the current lines. And precisely, one of the crucial points along the route is the Callao station, located exactly at the corner of Corrientes Avenue where Zivals is located, and just a few meters from the Obelisk.
The 12-kilometer route will connect the neighborhoods of Barracas and Palermo, allowing transfers to all existing subway lines (A, B, C, D, E, and H) and to the Roca Railway at the Constitución terminus.
According to official information, the City of Buenos Aires is considering the expropriation of 12 properties to move forward with the construction. The record store building is one of them.
Although there is no official confirmation yet regarding a definitive demolition or the future of the site, the transformation of this iconic Buenos Aires corner has sparked debate among musicians, artists, and neighbors.
Why Zivals is more than just a record store
Zivals was founded in 1971 and has survived vinyl, CDs, streaming, the mass disappearance of record stores, and several Argentine economic crises (which is no small feat). In an era where almost everything has gone digital, this record store—a symbol of Buenos Aires—has kept on operating and is practically a cult destination for anyone looking for vinyl records, rarities, posters, magazines, DVDs, and memorabilia.
Zivals is much more than a bookstore or record shop; it’s a gathering place and now also home to one of the largest images in Buenos Aires of Charly García, another icon.
Can you imagine walking down Corrientes Avenue and those two landmarks being gone? The expropriation of this corner and other buildings that would also be part of the new F line route is currently under negotiation, but the new line is a done deal.
Let’s hope there’s a way to have one thing without losing another, and that both can coexist. In the meantime, if you want to see it before anything happens, the Zivals terrace can be viewed from the sidewalk at Corrientes and Callao, with no set hours or admission fee.