Former conservatory in Upper Square remains unfinished and in poor condition
30 Σεπτεμβρίου 2022
/ 22:51
CORFU. The lawsuit filed by residents, which caused the project to stop in 2018, was rejected. Funding needs to be found for its completion.
The lawsuit filed in 2018 by residents requesting that the works stop on the building owned by Corfu Hospital at Capodistriou and Moustoxidou St., was rejected.
However, the project that would have brought the Seremetis mansion in Upper Square to its previous state, was withdrawn from the funding programme following the delays that occurred.
The future of the emblematic building, intended to operate as a Mental Health Centre, is uncertain, at least for the time being, since there is no funding available for the works to continue. "We have not yet decided what to do. We will send a proposal to the Ministry of Health when we are ready," the Corfu Hospital Director Leonidas Roubatis told Enimerosi, clarifying that in order to change its use it would have to be done by ministerial decision.
Poor condition
For four years now, however, the building is in a poor condition, since the renovation of the four-floor building had been halted when the works stopped in 2018. Until then and after several difficulties, since the project was included in and excluded from various funding programmes, a significant part of the front building was actually completed, where the necessary works were carried out.
However, problems arose when excavation works began on the second building at the back, where the electromechanical equipment was located. Residents of an adjacent building said that the work would cause structural issues in their own building. They, therefore, took legal action, which resulted in the works being suspended until the case was heard.
Since then, the building of the former conservatory is still in the same poor condition.
This image of abandonment in Upper Square is being completed by two other emblematic buildings, the Yialinas building and the former garrison building.
The building
According to information drawn from the General State Archives, the emblematic three-floor building in Moustoxidou St. that used to be a house (the so-called Kolobera) was built by the wealthy merchant Vasillios Seremetis, according to the building permit. Seremetis belonged to a network of merchants operating in Corfu.
We do not know whether the construction of these building was a display of wealth and a kind of competition between the merchants to see who would build the finest mansion or would make a wise investment.
However, the project that would have brought the Seremetis mansion in Upper Square to its previous state, was withdrawn from the funding programme following the delays that occurred.
The future of the emblematic building, intended to operate as a Mental Health Centre, is uncertain, at least for the time being, since there is no funding available for the works to continue. "We have not yet decided what to do. We will send a proposal to the Ministry of Health when we are ready," the Corfu Hospital Director Leonidas Roubatis told Enimerosi, clarifying that in order to change its use it would have to be done by ministerial decision.
Poor condition
For four years now, however, the building is in a poor condition, since the renovation of the four-floor building had been halted when the works stopped in 2018. Until then and after several difficulties, since the project was included in and excluded from various funding programmes, a significant part of the front building was actually completed, where the necessary works were carried out.
However, problems arose when excavation works began on the second building at the back, where the electromechanical equipment was located. Residents of an adjacent building said that the work would cause structural issues in their own building. They, therefore, took legal action, which resulted in the works being suspended until the case was heard.
Since then, the building of the former conservatory is still in the same poor condition.
This image of abandonment in Upper Square is being completed by two other emblematic buildings, the Yialinas building and the former garrison building.
The building
According to information drawn from the General State Archives, the emblematic three-floor building in Moustoxidou St. that used to be a house (the so-called Kolobera) was built by the wealthy merchant Vasillios Seremetis, according to the building permit. Seremetis belonged to a network of merchants operating in Corfu.
We do not know whether the construction of these building was a display of wealth and a kind of competition between the merchants to see who would build the finest mansion or would make a wise investment.
