In one of the biggest open wounds of the otherwise cosmopolitan area of Mackenzie, an abandoned seaside building is developing, which has remained unused for almost a decade and was supposedly part of a large investment, advertised as the diamond of Larnaca.
Until recently, the building was a problem only externally since it is filled with slogans. Recently, however, astute people occupied its interior, which, as can be seen in the photos of "F", was filled with garbage and other objects. The area around the building, which attracts many winter swimmers, presents a miserable image, while health issues have now been added. And all this next to busy hotels, restaurants and cafes.
Our newspaper informed the Municipality of Larnaca about this and told us that actions are being taken to "declare a nuisance" in the private building, so that the municipal services can intervene and remove the garbage.
The issue, however, is the demolition of the building, for which the Municipality of Larnaca initiated legal proceedings in the past, however, it lost the trial. Now the issue has been taken over by the EOA Larnaca, which has initiated a new legal procedure to remove illegalities, through an appeal to the court, with the aim of being able to issue a demolition order along the way, as stated by the president of EOAL, Angelos Hadjicharalambous. "We as an Organization will run the issue so that there are no more postponements," he added.
The "investment" of millions in the area was announced on August 5, 2016 and was spectacular, since it was presented as the "diamond of Larnaca". It included the Castle Project, so named because part of it would be implemented in the building of the historic Castle Hotel, located on the sea side. Two unified plots on the opposite side of Piale Pasha Avenue were also included in the project.
In the first phase, a multi-restaurant, cafes and beach bars were to be created on the beach side. Subsequently, the second phase would be implemented, which would include a luxury hotel unit, on the opposite side, which would be connected to the developments on the beach, through a bridge that would pass over Piale Pasha. The hotel was to be five stars, 13 floors and a capacity of 400 beds.
The most impressive project announced was the so-called "crown diamond". As announced, an artificial island would be created, in the sea, in the shape of Cyprus, which could be reached by one of the beach restaurants and the beach bar, through a large dock. In the end, nothing was done but a bad beach building, the image of which degrades the entire Mackenzie area.
