The Arcos Building is Falling to Pieces

The Arcos Building is Falling to Pieces / Camilo Ernesto Olivera Peidro
Posted on August 29, 2013

HAVANA, Cuba , August, www.cubanet.org – The Arcos building is in the
block formed by
F and E, between 19 and 21 in Vedado. Everyone in Havana knows this
unusual building built in the 1930s in the middle of one of the deepest
ravines in Vedado.

It's bad state of repair presents a serious danger to the many families
living there, and the tourists who visit it as an example of rare
architecture.

One of the neighbors, who asked not to be named, said that they have
exhausted all possible official channels for requesting the
reconstruction of the old building.

"This building has 71 apartments and is built in an ancient ravine in
Vedado that we Havanans call 'the hole.' The Department of Multi-Unit
Housing promises, the Plaza municipal government promises, the
provincial government promises, they ensnare you and do nothing.
Everyone is brazen, sh..politicians."

The facts bear out this neighbor. For a long time now the structure of
this property has been suffering as a result of the passage of time,
lack of maintenance and neglect of the authorities.

The atypical characteristics of this building require specialized
reconstructive procedures. Partial collapses have occurred, for example
in the passageway that accesses the apartments from the entrance on 19th
Street.

At present, the staircase leading to 19th is virtually collapsed. This
staircase, and a long exterior passageway in the form of a balcony,
connect 21st Street with 19th Street.

The route allowed pedestrians to avoid the obstacle of the deep and long
ravine that cuts across F street in that area. The neighbors decided to
avoid greater evils by blocking the way and placing signs warning of the
danger.

You can see that the stair supports are broken, weakening it. From
another angle, coming from 19th, the principal column that supports the
stairs is extremely damaged.

Also the base and the support columns of the building all require
attention. A photo accompanying this note is in eloquent in itself. It
shows a sign painted by the neighbors which states : "We need help
(now), responsibility and the promises to be met. We hope not to face
the displeasure of putting ourselves dead." (sic)

27 August 2013

From Cubanet

Source: "The Arcos Building is Falling to Pieces / Camilo Ernesto
Olivera Peidro | Translating Cuba" -
http://translatingcuba.com/the-arcos-building-is-falling-to-pieces-camilo-ernesto-olivera-peidro-hemosoido/