The Iders building, situated on the intersection of Familia de Betancourt and Molina avenues in the centre of Puerto de la Cruz, continues to be a topic of conversation. Following the initiation of procedures at the start of the year for the Justice Department to approve the building’s demolition, the City Council has opted to engage an external legal consultant to accelerate this process, which encompasses numerous administrative steps that are mostly intricate.
In June 2022, the City Council declared the building to be in a state of imminent collapse, evicting the residents and securing the area with fencing. Nevertheless, these significant advancements were not preceded by other equally noteworthy actions. Nor were these taken by the owners, who were required to implement several measures that were ultimately not achieved, including the submission of a demolition project.
As the project was not executed, the City Council issued a decree for subsidiary execution, enabling it to oversee the various elements of the process. The demolition of Iders is amongst these priorities. The inhabitants of the neighbouring buildings are clamouring for an end to the 31 years of neglect, as they are also concerned about the potential for collapse. In recent months, they have witnessed debris falling from the balconies and supports, escalating their worries, particularly as the property has not received any maintenance in the last three decades, leading to significant deterioration. Furthermore, the accumulation of rubbish over the years presents a health hazard, resulting in infestations of rats, cockroaches, pigeons, mosquitoes, and various insects that the residents have had to endure for years.
Concerns
“We cannot disregard these concerns,” states David Hernández, who explains that the City Council has embarked on a very challenging journey, facing numerous administrative and bureaucratic hurdles, with the owners’ responses being “not as prompt as anticipated.”
The reality is that this process can no longer be postponed, which is why, in addition to securing external legal counsel, the governing body “is considering exploring alternative paths in parallel with what has already been initiated”, such as directly undertaking the demolition through different administrative processes.
“We have taken on a responsibility, and we must see it through,” emphasises the mayor. Additionally, he calls for cooperation from all parties involved “for the benefit of everyone” in order to resolve an issue that has remained unresolved for 31 years.
