Between 30 and 40 percent of the architectural heritage of Merida’s historic center has been destroyed from 1920 to date, La Verdad reports, underscoring the lack of a comprehensive conservation plan.
The architectural beauty of the “White City,” enriched by the henequen boom period which gave a new twist to traditional colonial structures, gradually succumbs to official inaction and factors such as real estate speculation and the high cost of maintenance, writes Heriberto Villegas.
Alejandro Gil Sandoval, director of the Office of Management Board of the Historic Center of Merida, reported that the cost of preserving an old house in the center can hit 5,000 pesos per square meter to repair structural damage, electric and water systems.
Merida’s historic center is Latin America’s third largest, behind Mexico City’s and Havana’s.
Although there are about 25,000 people living in in Merida’s historic center, since the 1950s, when the center of the city became more commercialized, the residential trend toward newer neighborhoods began.
In addition, there are homeowners who don’t care at all about their property, and would hold it as a parking lot rather than fix their historic homes.
Although no accurate statistics, it is estimated that about 500 houses have been bought and rehabilitated by foreigners — mostly Americans and Europeans, in Santiago, Saint Lucia, Santa Ana and La Mejorada.
The arrival of foreigners has been positive, but goes only so far to help the city.
Alejandro Gil Sandoval explained that most foreigners who buy homes are between 60 and 70 years old, which means that in 10 years most would likely return to their countries of origin again to be close to their family, a possibility that would leave hundreds of homes abandoned again.