The Association for the Protection of the Historical Heritage of Santa Cruz de Tenerife vehemently protests the demolition of the Perez Soto House designed by the esteemed architect Antonio Pintor and Ocete in 1908. The building held undeniable heritage, architectural, and historical significance, and its demolition is seen as a perilous and grave precedent.
The property, situated prominently on Juan Padrón Street at the corner of Carmen Monteverde Street, was part of the proposed new catalog of municipal architectural heritage. Despite efforts to grant it legal protection by Tenerife Cabildo officials since the early 2000s, a developer company sought permission from the Courts to demolish the building due to administrative delays.
The Association criticizes the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council for not promptly updating the existing catalog to offer legal protection, a move that could have saved the building. Instead, they chose to wait for inclusion in the new, slower catalog, leading to the judicial authorization for demolition.
Expressing astonishment at the lack of preventive measures, the Association condemns judicial rulings allowing the destruction of heritage assets of public interest.
The Association expresses deep concerns about other buildings in a similar plight in Tenerife’s capital awaiting inclusion in the new catalog, putting them at risk of imminent demolition.
The Cabildo’s Historical Heritage section highlights that Enrique Pérez Soto, the building’s promoter, was a notable figure in Santa Cruz’s history. He donated the ground floor of his residence for the first office of CajaCanarias, an act closely tied to the city’s history and significant institutions.
Besides the architectural and technical aspects, the property’s importance lies in its historical connection to the city and one of its prominent figures.
Pérez Soto, a respected businessman, city councilor, and president of the Royal Canarian Academy of Fine Arts, played a key role in realizing the children’s hospital project and donated artworks to the Municipal Museum.
