The island corporation collaborates with the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council to facilitate the expropriation of the land and make the project possible
The Cabildo de Tenerife has approved a grant of €500,000 to the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council to facilitate the expropriation of the land where the abandoned building of Añaza is located. This is a necessary step to advance in its demolition and the landscape recovery of the coastal environment. The project has total funding of €3 million, including the €500,000 contributed by the Cabildo and the €2.5 million granted by the Government of the Canary Islands.
The President of the Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, states that this collaboration will unlock a long-awaited action for the neighbourhood. “We support this project with a direct contribution that facilitates the expropriation of the land and paves the way for transforming the area.”
“Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez and his team have led a proposal with determination that will bring life and dignity back to this stretch of coastline. We firmly support it from the Cabildo because it is a necessary action, it is about returning to Añaza a space that belongs to its people, a part of the coastline that should never have been lost and that can be lived in, enjoyed, and cared for by its residents,” assures Dávila.
Rosa Dávila values the project promoted by the Santa Cruz City Council as a proposal that goes beyond the demolition of the building. “This action is the first step to make a great project a reality that will completely change this part of the Añaza coastline,” emphasises Dávila. “What we want to do is very simple to explain: recover this space for the people, return access to the sea to the residents, and transform an abandoned area into a natural, cared-for, and safe place.”
On her part, the Councillor for Natural Environment, Sustainability, and Safety and Emergencies, Blanca Pérez, states that “this collaboration between administrations allows for a definitive boost to a project that has been eagerly awaited by the residents of the neighbourhood.”
The Santa Cruz City Council expects to complete the expropriation throughout 2025, after which the demolition will be tendered. The estimated period to execute the works is 36 months, meaning the project could conclude between 2027 and early 2028. The goal of the project is to ecologically recover the area, return access to the sea, and replace a degraded structure with a natural and safe space. This intervention aligns with the principles of the new nature restoration law and the island strategy to protect and enhance the coastline.
The project includes green areas, walking and living spaces, and a maritime platform known as La Mareta, which will create a safe swimming area. Additionally, it includes a connection with the future coastal promenade, the protection of the archaeological heritage of the area, and a medium-term projection to integrate it into the municipality’s sustainable mobility systems.
The building was designed in 1973 as a luxury hotel with 741 apartments spread over 22 floors. However, construction was halted in 1975 due to urban irregularities, financial issues, and lack of definitive permits. Since then, the structure has remained abandoned for nearly 50 years. It occupies between 35,000 and 40,000 square metres and has become an out-of-context monolith that disrupts the coastal landscape. In addition to the visual impact, it poses a real risk to the safety of the area.
