Filenews 21 July 2022 - by Vassos Vassiliou
Only the exterior walls the Archdiocese wants to preserve in the three houses that were demolished on February 1, 2021 on Isokratous Street, next to the Cathedral, and which Archbishop Chrysostomos himself pledged to rebuild.
His Beatitude does not want the three buildings to reopen as houses, but in a large part of the space he wants to create a synodal, in which the guests can drink their coffee after the mass in the Cathedral on Sundays or even the holidays.
Precisely because of this choice, the internal walls were not reconstructed and essentially the three houses are "bare" in terms of internal walls. Technicians contacted by "F" expressed fears that in the future the buildings would suffer the same fate, since if they were based on something, it was the walls, internal and external.
Athina Aristotelous, who undertook to monitor the works with the agreement of both the Archbishop and the municipality, when asked about this, said that the Archdiocese submitted plans to change the use of the buildings and is waiting for the position of the Municipality of Nicosia, which, however, informed "F", that officially no proposal was submitted.
As he explained, the Archbishop wants a small synodal and canteen to be formed within the three buildings. As indicated by the side of the Archdiocese, the small synodal needs a single space, so it proposes not to construct the internal masonry. The Archdiocese also considers that the change of use in the form proposed can be implemented without affecting anything.
It is reminded that based on the schedule, the restoration of the three buildings is completed at the end of the year but due to the summer holidays and because the plans have not yet been examined by the municipality, doubts are expressed about the date of delivery.
The press advisor of the Municipality of Nicosia, George Arapoglou, in response to a relevant question by "F", said that the process of restoring and repairing the specific listed buildings is progressing.
We have not received an official application for a change of use, but there has been a preliminary discussion, Mr. Arapoglou said. According to him, the change of use requested by the owner concerns a change from office use rather to cultural and more specifically, from office to synodal, which serves much better the needs of the Archdiocese. "As a use it is located, but any changes that this use requires should also be considered," he added. He clarified that before an official application is submitted, the municipality cannot express itself with certainty. Finally, he noted that the relevant decision on the application will be taken by the Municipal Council, which is the Planning Authority.
