The owner of an historic property on Taipei’s Boai Road is to be fined after they continued with renovations despite the building being flagged for review as a cultural heritage site.
The property, which is located at 132 Boai Road in Taipei’s Zhongzheng District, was built in the 1920s during the Japanese colonial era. The building was surveyed by the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs in August last year, at which time it flagged the property for further review to determine its status as a cultural heritage site. Bureau officials then visited the property in December last year and February this year as part of the review process, the department said.
Photo: CNA
Properties flagged for review are granted temporary historic status, during which time owners are not permitted to dismantle or remove any part of the property’s structure, and are required to maintain and preserve the property, the department said.
However, despite the injunction the owner of the building at 132 Boai Road renovated the building and converted it into a reception area for presale housing properties, it said, adding that part of the renovations involved removing the building’s original wooden roof and replacing it with metal sheets. The department said a fine of NT$500,000 would be imposed on the contractor, and a fine of NT$300,000 imposed on the property owner.
During a meeting with department officials on Monday, the owner justified the renovation work saying that it was necessary as termites had infested the wood, which caused leaking and made the building dangerous.
The owner said that work had already begun before the injunction was imposed, and said he had suffered financial losses due to fines imposed on the contractor, and the loss of rent when the tenant was forced to vacate the property. Department officials said the fines were imposed because the owner continued renovation work after the injunction.
Separately, the contractor, Shuang Zheng Li Construction Co. (双正利建設), said that it continued work after the injunction was imposed as it was “unfamiliar with the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act (文化資產保存法).”
The bureau said it would urge the owner to restore the wall paint to its original state and rectify the water leakage. In the future, it would continue to work with the owner on drafting restoration, reuse and management plans for the property, and provide relevant subsidies and resources, it said.
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