Santa Cruz Council Orders Urgent Repairs for Deteriorating José Fumero Building
Santa Cruz de Tenerife’s Municipal Urban Planning Department has issued a mandatory order requiring owners of the deteriorating José Fumero building to begin urgent safety repairs and structural stabilization within ten days.
Safety in Santa Cruz de Tenerife’s real estate sector is back under the spotlight. According to the Official State Gazette (BOE) on August 13, the Municipal Urban Planning Department has issued a mandatory order for the owners of the José Fumero building—a 1960s residential block at the corner of Rambla de Santa Cruz and Calle Esperanto. The order aims to address the building’s ongoing deterioration, an issue that led to an administrative file five years ago that was eventually closed without the necessary repairs being made.
The new order sets a very tight deadline, requiring work to begin within five to ten days. Technical requirements include shielding the facades with a double-mesh system: an inner fine-weave layer to catch small fragments and an outer, heavy-duty layer to contain larger debris. The City Council has also ordered the shoring of the eighth floor and roof structures, including elevator shafts and stairwells, to stabilize the building. Officials noted, however, that there is no immediate risk of the structure collapsing.
The intervention goes beyond basic containment. The order requires the removal of items at risk of falling, such as blinds, glass, and air conditioning units, as well as the restoration of facades and the cleaning of interior courtyards. The safety plan also covers the building’s perimeter, requiring repairs to metal fencing and the removal of waste. Even the landscaping is included: the City Council has demanded that a palm tree at the entrance be pruned and secured with tension cables to prevent it from falling.
This move marks a significant shift in how the building is being managed. Given the previous lack of action, the City Council has warned that failure to meet these deadlines could result in up to ten coercive fines. For now, the Council is not stepping in to perform the work itself, hoping the homeowners' association will take responsibility under the guidance of a qualified technician. Owners have ten days to visit the Urban Planning offices to review the technical details of the resolution, which aims to finally resolve years of neglect in one of the capital's most prominent residential buildings.