Povernei, nr.2 demolished TODAY

(Photo: Hotnews) They did it...those swines went and pulled down Povernei nr.2... I can't believe my eyes... And just wait til you read how they did it. Such corruption. Such crooked, manipulative and dispicable deeds to kill a house... Hotnews has this article I have translated, probably badly as I can barely see for enraged and frustrated tears, so you'll forgive me if it reads badly. Silvia, Bucharesteans, Romanians who care, all those who have been fighting to save this mansion, I am so, so sorry... If a house may rest in peace, I hope this one does - and then I really hope the predecessors who lived within its walls come back to haunt the CRAP out of those responsible for this outrageous act of (once again) illegal, insane, gratuitous destruction. For a more detailed and justifiably furious report in Roumanian, please see also Silvia's blog HERE.

Povernei 2 - demolished

Foto: Hotnews

 documents

Overall Project Office

(May 9, 2011) PDF, 17 MB

'This house that had withstood two World Wars and all the earthquakes to hit Bucharest over the last century ceased to be in order to make room for a 6-storey office block. This 120 year old mansion at str Povernei, no. 2 was an edifice designed by the famous architect Louis Blanc in 1889 for General George Adrian, the former Romanian Minister of War. For more information on the history of the house please see my recent post.

(Photo: Hotnews: Work notice) The panel displayed at the site reads that the old house was demolished under a permit issued by the City District 1, on December 18, 2008. BUT the authorisation refers to the demolition of the building on str. Alecsandri, No.4, demolished in 2009, NOT Povernei, 2, the house demolished today. Interestingly, there is no cadastral documentation showing the plot or plan of Povernei 2.

"Cadastral plans, inexplicably, do not mention Povernei 2. Attempts have been made to give the impression that the property, Povernei 2, is part of the complex of V. Alecsandri 4. In these plans, str Povernei begins at number 4! The mystery deepens when we see that str Daniel Constantin has two number 11's. One next to Povernei, 4 and the other in the grounds of Povernei 1-3. Both buildings are the property of the Bucharest Project ", Roxana Wring, President of the association Pro_Do_Mo, an NGO that protects the assets of Bucharest, told journalists of Hotnews.

Furthermore, she says that the investor, Alecsandri Estates Ltd, made sure that the house numbers disappeared, so they could demolish the house: Why did Povernei, 2 disappear? Because it is unlikely that the" beneficiaries could have obtained the authorisation to demolish, so they didn't request it. Povernei 2, in any case, had the postal address V. Alecsandri, 4 on the plans, which had already been demolished or one of the Constantin Daniel 11's, a modest house with no architectural value. One can play a game of hide and seek with house numbers when it's in the 'investors' interest. "

(Photo: Hotnews: Povernei, 2) Dan Marin, member of the Zone Commission for Historic Monuments, says Alecsandri Estates came last year to the forum to ask for the demolition of Povernei 2 showing the address of Alecsandri nr.4/Constantin Daniel, nr. 11. The demand was, however, rejected as the building was considered an important one.

The capital's chief architect, Gheorghe Patrascu, says City Hall had not issued any permits for the demolition of Povernei 2, except that issued by the City District 1 in 2008, ie. Alecsandri 4. There was however a demolition notice from the Department of Culture of Bucharest for str. Daniel Constantin nr. 11 and that on the cadastral plan were two different addresses for Daniel Constantin, nr. 11, as already mentioned.

It was uncertain which of the houses named 'nr.11' was indeed for demolition. The fact is that one of these houses is near a historic building - the Solescu Rosetti House.

(Photo: Hotnews: Destruction) Contacted by Hotnews.ro, the demolition firm said that the demolition permit was legal and valid. "Vasile Alecsandri 4 and Povernei 2 are the same address, ie. Alecsandri 4. I put the notice up for Povernei 2 in February so that it could be seen better. As you can ascertain from the notice, we had permission to demolish, and this permission was extended, "said Ionut Apostol of Euroconstruct Management.

In the place of Povernei 2 and other buildings that belonged to the "Bucharest Project" an office complex will be constructed with maximum height of 6 floors. The project was approved in 2006.

Although it was not classed as a monument, General Adrian's house was in the Protected Area 94 (Caderea Bastiliei), where a standard degree of protection is given. According to the PUZ of a protected zone, the building could NOT be demolished completely. There are further historic monuments, numbers 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 16, 18 and 20 on str. V. Alecsandri. Among them are the Storck Museum (architect Clavel) and the houses of the Ciortan station architects, Ghica Budesti, H. Stern, State Balosin...

Silvia Colfescu, author of 'Bucharest: A Touristic, Historic and Artistic Guide', says that this building was extremely valuable to the history of Romanian architecture:"The building represented great importance in terms of the history of architecture in Bucharest, because it is one of the few, rare houses remaining from the period of transition from academist style, so characteristic to the second half of the 19th century, and the national style of the next period, known as neo-Romanian, illustrated particularly by architects Ion Mincu, P. Smarandescu, State Balosin, Arghir Culina... Louis Blanc only built one or two houses in the national style. "

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So, you get the picture? Not only was an illegal demolition carried out, but they DOCTORED the documents, changing house numbers in order for Povernei 2 to 'register' as standing on land of a building already demolished in 2009... absolutely unbelievable. You have to admit, it was clever. Very clever. But Dan Ionescu, Roxana Wring, Silvia Colfescu and others like them were not fooled and neither should YOU be. These crooks will stop at nothing to destroy Bucharest in the name of money. And they will continue to do so if we let them. It could be YOUR home next. These bandits, these low-lives HAVE to be stopped.

This link describes the owner of all the buildings mentioned in Silvia Colfescu's blogpost on what has happened at Povernei 2. Proiect Bucuresti was founded during communist times and most architects worked there.

Societate anonima, it is funded with Roumanian and 'foreign' capital. The link mentions  Viorel Constantinescu the CEO, Corneliu Panaitescu, Oana Pandelea - all so-called 'architects' though they have no right to call themselves such - architects love and preserve. They do not destroy, falsify documents and smash up beauty. They, along with the likes of Enache, Gabrea, Cavarnale, have dragged the wonderful name of 'architect' through the mud and then trampled it underfoot. Shame on them!! There is also a video in Roumanian and English. Thank you to Florina for sending this to me.

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I read a great quotation today that said 'The best way to combat criminals is not to vote for them.' That phrase speaks volumes and is a message to any of you reading this post, any of you who have any love, any respect, any nostalgia for what Bucharest used to be - Micul Paris, Little Paris, the Paris of the East. How terrible that, because these scumbags bank accounts demand to be fed, by doing NOTHING and leaving everything to the likes of Nicusor Dan of Salvati Bucuresti and those of Pro_Do_Mo and other NGO's, you are making these illegal, underhanded and scandalous acts all the easier. WHEN will there be more than just a ripple of anger? Where is the tidal wave of rage?

Comments

[Why?]

Country of your heart? There´s nothing left in this country to endeveour. We don´t got beautiful resort places like Capri. Or like in France, Greece, or Spain for that matter. Romania is not a beautiful a country. It probably was, once before. But now? It´s competly ruined

[sairj]

Perhaps not...but I can't stop. It's the country of my heart... Voilà,tout. It's a terrible shame it's populated.

[Why?]

Such a herrendous act Sarah. Why?, why are Romanians beauty deniers? Why do we destroy our very own heritage? This is not a human act, but a monstrous inventors of evil act, the Romanian type of being. The nihilistic factor, that shrives every Romanian into a void of emptyness. Like Tonitza´s paintings, Romanians are blind. Blind by the forsaken of inferential thoughts. Romanian blood is made by acid...

And I know you probably hear this alot. But you´re wasting your soul Sarah. You´re young and American. You´re got the whole world and future ahead of you, and you stopped to endeavour Romania? A country of lost souls? Don´t get the wrong idea. I really appreciate your work. The fact that you care about this country, makes you more Romanian than 99% of the people. But, to be fair honest Sarah. It´s not worth it.

Thanks.

[sairj]

Dear Why
The photo shows the land of what was str Vasile Alecsandri no 4, the huge building demolished in 2009. The fact that these corrupt rats are trying to make us believe that Povernei 2 stood on and thus belonged to this land is the reason they used/feigned/pretended in order to demolish it. This is why Realitatea showed it, I guess. Thanks for pointing this out... for a minute I was totally confused. Its also an angle of V.Alecsandri 4 we hadn't seen before so it was completely new to me too.

So, i'm afraid that the 'palace' you refer to is no more was destroyed in 2009...

Best wishes,
Sarah

@Teo - thank you for the photo!

[Teodor Iliescu]

http://b365.realitatea.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Fostul-Sediu-Proiect-Bucure%C8%99ti1.jpg SJ u can see here a pic. ;)I hope u see better here...