Luxury Housing on the Ruins of History: Old Factory Facade to Be Preserved in Tenerife

Noé Ramón writes that eleven luxury apartments will appear in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on the site of the former La Belleza tobacco factory. According to the city plan, the facade and entrance hall of the building will be preserved, as they are protected.

Alberto Darias Príncipe, a professor of art history at the University of La Laguna, says that the historic building, which he would like to see fully preserved, can already "be considered lost."

He explained that preserving only the facade and part of the factory is "the lesser of two evils." But he regrets that the city is turning into "theatrical scenery," because the interior of the building also had historical value.

Previously, architect Fernando Beautell also insisted on the full preservation of the building on Pérez de Rozas Street. He considered it "illogical" to protect only the facade and the hall.

Former Councilor for Culture of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Dulce Xerach, who is in charge of industrial heritage, notes that "it is not always possible to save all such buildings, as happened with El Tanque at the oil refinery."

She believes it is positive that at least something will remain, "reminding of the historical significance of this place." She added that these elements can be used in the residential complex, as they do in New York, turning old factories into lofts.

According to her, the former factory was "in pretty bad condition," so preserving the facade is already good.

"You shouldn't expect all historical buildings to become cultural centers. It is important that they do not lose their appearance and essence, and preserving the facade will help with this," she says.

She also reminds that the preservation of the entrance hall is important, as it will emphasize the historicity of the building. In addition, they plan to preserve the roof.

"I am not too critical of this decision, because there was almost no other way out. At least, in the future there will be a mention of what was once here," she concluded.

She added that industrial heritage was not taken into account in the law on the heritage of the Canary Islands until 2019.

The former factory is listed in the catalog of the international organization Docomomo, which is engaged in the protection of monuments of modern architecture.

The description states that the factory was part of a rationalist complex with the owner's house and gardens, which, unfortunately, have not been preserved. The side facade of the building was also damaged.

In the center of the building was a space with a large window in the roof, from where the light came.

According to Docomomo, "the symmetry of the main facade, the stucco on the cornices, the clarity of the lines and the transition between the two facades make this building one of the most interesting works of the architect Miguel Martín Fernández de la Torre."

Construction lasted from 1929 to 1930. The "rationalist composition" makes it a key element in the architect's work and "testifies to his maturity."

Later, a fire broke out in the building, which damaged the interior. For some time there were shops there, but then the building fell into disrepair.