The Cort defends the renovation of the Bennàssar building: "It's not the original project."

PalmPalma City Council's governing team defended the renovation of the building designed by architect Gaspar Bennàssar before the Urban Planning Commission on Tuesday. The Councilor for Urban Planning, Oscar Fidalgo, emphasized that the building "is not Bennàssar's original project," but rather a subsequent modification, and "has no heritage value." Although regulations allow for the complete demolition of the building, this will ultimately not be the case.

Fidalgo recalled that regulations allow for the total demolition of the building and argued that, even "in the event of reconstructing its original façade, the result would be an improvement over the current state." "I stated that the law allowed the building to be demolished, and I maintain that, but the designers decided to renovate the façade, and the ruling was in favor," he stated during the Urban Planning Department's press conference. "It's regrettable that such a sensitive issue is being used for political purposes," said the municipal official, who accused the opposition of wanting to "break up the fight" rather than seek realistic solutions.

The debate arose from the request filed by the PSIB with the Consell de Mallorca (Mallorca Council) to try to stop the demolition. In response, the councilor was clear: "The PSIB must assume property liability if it wants to stop the work." According to Urban Planning, a contrary decision could result in millions of pounds in compensation from the public coffers, which would be paid by "all Palma residents."

The Council maintains that the project follows technical and legal criteria, and that the owners have the right to carry out the project. The City Council insists that Bennàssar's legacy is not jeopardized because the current building does not correspond to the Mallorcan architect's original design, but rather to a 1960s renovation that substantially altered it.

Intervention to remove vandalistic graffiti

Meanwhile, the Historic Center Commission approved this Tuesday a new intervention to remove vandalism from historic and protected buildings in Palma. According to Fidalgo, the work will be carried out on the facades of Can Pujol, in the Santa Catalina neighborhood, declared a Site of Cultural Interest (BIC), as well as on the Church of the Virgen del Carmen, the Church of Santa Catalina Thomàs, the Church of the Immaculate Conception (Sant Magí), and the Auditorium.