At number 50 San Francisco Javier Street, situated in the heart of El Toscal, an ancient manor house from the 19th century stands firm against the odds. Despite the urban development plans initiated after the refurbishment of the historical district by the Urban Planning Management, which included its demolition to construct a plaza for access to one of the three remaining citadels in the area, the building remains intact. This white structure, featuring a small external window, is not only steeped in family memories but also holds significant heritage value. The owners argue that it contains an old cistern that merits preservation, alongside other architectural features that reinforce their case, as it is part of the pathway leading to the citadel needing protection.
The family spokesperson and son of the owner, Jorge Guevara, shared with DIARIO DE AVISOS that this house was originally home to sharecroppers responsible for maintaining one of the local farms in the past. As the city expanded, the land was subdivided, resulting in the construction of additional residences, thus giving rise to the well-known citadels that were encircled by housing intended for Santa Cruz’s working class, including number 50 San Francisco Javier.
This residence was inherited from the current owner’s grandmother, who, upon her passing, revealed via the deed that an old underground cistern lay concealed within, which today serves as one of the many reasons cited in their defence to protect the property due to its historical significance, as water was supplied to the entire adjoining citadel from this source. “We have been striving for years to prevent the demolition of our home, which was initially protected,” the affected individual explained.
The situation escalated when the City Council decided to amend the original guidelines of the special plan for the Protection of the Historical Complex of El Toscal, presenting reports that deemed the house as a ruin and thus justified its removal from protection. This decision prompted the owner, Nieves Hernández, to file a legal appeal over six months ago, seeking to have her home reinstated in the catalogue, thereby safeguarding it from being razed.
Following the submission of a contentious-administrative case regarding the El Toscal Plan, the courts ruled in favour of the family, compelling the local authority to reassess the project that had received approval on 28 June 2024, mandating minor modifications. A precautionary halt ensued, “of which we have had no further updates and still lack any agreement,” emphasised Guevara.
Allegations
He recalled, “The initial challenges we lodged against the plan date back to 2014, coinciding with my grandmother’s passing, and since then, it has been a relentless struggle of reports and appeals. We have devoted a considerable part of our lives contesting the City Council, and everything remains uncertain. After winning the litigation, the corporation proposed a possibility for an out-of-court settlement, but as of now, we have received no contact apart from being informed that we must grant access to technicians for their study,” he remarked.
“We remain unclear about the City Council’s motives behind wanting to demolish the house to facilitate access to other neighbouring homes from the same era, which are catalogued and are even set to be rebuilt. This plan constitutes a Trojan horse, as it implies modifications to the charter; certain houses have been favoured while ours, which also forms part of the same pathway, is condemned for demolition,” explained Guevara. For this reason, the family requests to be kept informed and, most importantly, for the “technical assessments conducted by the Heritage area of the Cabildo, which in 2018 supported the preservation of this house, to be taken into account, along with those conducted by an architect highlighting the typology of this structure, which typifies a buffer house, completing the enclosure of the passage linking to the citadel. What we cannot fathom is how these expert evaluations contradict those from the City Council, which appears intent on erasing what is evidently significant,” he argued.
The owners, currently residing in Lanzarote, assert that this home possesses heritage significance, as it is part of the citadel’s pathway and thus integral to the city’s history, while also holding immense sentimental value having been passed down through generations. “My grandmother, who inherited the house from her mother, was the last owner, and she was well-known in the neighbourhood for attending El Toscal residents’ meetings aimed at preserving the area,” described Guevara.
This neighbourhood now appears divided on the issue, as the Señor de las Tribulaciones Community Association has requested the demolition of this house before the Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands to facilitate the future construction of the plaza envisaged in the City Hall’s reform. “There are inexplicable aspects surrounding this notion of eradicating a 19th-century dwelling to protect a citadel from almost the same period, especially considering that it is incorporated into the broader urban landscape that is intended for preservation,” he added.
