Tenerife Grapples With Decades of Unfinished "Ghost Buildings"

For years, even decades, these unfinished buildings have stood like monuments to failed urban planning. They are the leftovers from a construction boom that either collapsed during an economic crisis or got stuck in legal battles, sometimes after the developers died and their heirs gave up their claims. These ruined structures spoil the landscape, harm the environment, and often become dangerous shelters for homeless people, who live among rubbish and debris, always at risk of collapse.

The issue of unfinished buildings is particularly bad in Tenerife, especially in the South. This is largely due to the tourism boom of the 1970s and 80s, combined with investors who lacked experience in construction. The problem is made worse because these structures are falling apart, especially near the sea, where you can see cracks, rust, and corrosion. Experts point out that concrete and iron don't last forever. For these 'ghost buildings,' which haven't had any maintenance since construction stopped, their lifespan is severely cut short by the wind, rain, sun, and sea.

Architects interviewed by this newspaper say that restarting work on an old concrete shell isn't usually the best idea. Some of these structures on the island, like the huge unfinished buildings in Añaza or Chasna (Arona), are over 50 years old. The cost of fixing the damage they've suffered over time makes it too expensive.

Because of this, a thorough assessment of the materials' condition is needed from the start. This involves tests for things like water absorption, carbonation, and load-bearing capacity – a practice becoming more common with banks and insurers. Studies show that finishing an abandoned building with structural damage can be up to 20% more expensive than building a new one from scratch.

However, if a building was left unfinished more recently, it's often easier to avoid extra costs, especially if it still has a valid building permit from the local council. For example, Spring Hotels bought two unfinished blocks in San Isidro (Granadilla) last year for 2.4 million euros. They plan to turn them into nearly a hundred apartments for their staff. This is a groundbreaking step during a severe housing crisis, made worse by the increase in holiday rentals and a lack of public housing.

Urban planning experts warn that land is permanently damaged after an abandoned construction project because the natural ecosystem is disrupted. They also point out that these abandoned sites attract rubbish and unusable building materials, creating unhygienic conditions.

Meanwhile, some environmental groups are calling for a strict deadline for these huge unfinished projects to be completed. If work doesn't restart, they suggest demolishing buildings that can't be saved and using usable structures for social housing.

Cleaning up the mess left by failed construction projects is neither simple nor cheap. While the average cost to demolish a building in Spain is about 50 euros per square meter, the actual price varies greatly. It depends on factors like the size and type of structure, its location, the materials used, the site itself, and the necessary permits and regulations.

For all these reasons, the failures of the construction boom remain standing, visible to everyone. They are like old ships, abandoned and stranded.