In 1882, La Maquinista received a very special commission: the construction of the Barceloneta Market. Designed by architect Antoni Rovira i Trias. The market opened in 1884. It was a building characteristic of iron architecture, divided into a central nave and two side aisles, with a metal roof supported by pillars without perimeter walls, suitable for commercial activities.
During the Civil War, it was partially destroyed by bombing on November 6, 1938, carried out by the Italian air force. The market was one of the first facilities to be rebuilt in the city, partly because of its special symbolism for the workers of La Maquinista.
