Lisbon city council is girding itself for another bitter fight over what to do with eight ‘useless old public buildings’, one of which used to be a ‘porno cinema’.
Councillor for Urbanism Manuel Salgado – cousin of Ricardo, the former “boss-of-all-this” at Banco Espírito Santo – is adamant that the buildings can serve no useful purpose and should be sold to bring in much-needed funds.
An article in Sábado earlier this month described Salgado as “the man with most power” on the council, and the “brains behind projects” that are changing Lisbon’s identity.
In other words, he is another version of “the boss of all this”. “There are those who compare him to Marquês de Pombal”, said Sábado’s Margarida Davim.
But not everyone is delighted about this: even Socialists suggest he has formulated a strategy of “keeping the centre of the capital for the rich, with the poor on the periphery”.
Communist councillor Ana Jara is among those who mean to fight the plan to sell Cinema Olympia (for 3,528 euros per sq m), the former CTT Post Office building, Lisbon bombeiros HQs, the old Oriente Foundation, ICNF offices and EPAL building (all for a purported 4,083 euros per sq m) and the one-time Civil Protection central building (for 2,587 euros per sq metre).
All but three of these properties have clear historical and cultural merits. The Olympia cinema in Rua do Conde, boasts a charming façade and over a hundred years of quirky history; the old CTT building is stunning, and the Civil Protection HQ an architect’s dream.
Reports this week are all agreed that if these buildings are sold, they will almost certainly be transformed into luxury complexes for tourism.
Concerns range from questions over added traffic congestion, to demands that any deals should be seen to benefit Lisbon residents, not simply bring profit to foreign investors.
Questioned by tabloid Correio da Manhã, the council has apparently said that “the buildings in question have stopped performing a public use” thus they can now serve for “habitation, tourism services or commerce”.
The association of Lisbon tenants are against the plan, saying it will leave new owners free to do whatever they want, while landlords warn “it will just favour luxury habitation” when the problem in the city is that people on lower and middle incomes cannot afford anywhere to live.
Salgado’s plans “still have to pass through the Municipal Assembly”, stresses the paper, where president Helena Roseta is dubious. She wants to see benefits coming to the local community by way of parking areas, creche spaces, etc.
Roseta told CM, that she is also concerned that there has been “no study into the social and economic consequences” of delivering these buildings into the hands of private buyers.
She said such a study should be “fundamental for any urban plan”.
But if Sábado’s text “Manuel Salgado: the man who rules the capital” is correct, opposition will be complicated. Since July this year, Salgado has been in control of the SRU (Society for Urban Rehabilitation) which has been described by political opponents as “a council within the council”.
