Recently, the administration of the Museum of the City of Athens (Vouros-Eutaxia Foundation), has entered into a long-term lease agreement, assigning to the company the obligation to seek the optimal solution for the restoration and utilization of historical complex situated on Stadiou Street, in walking distance from Syntagma Square.
"Highlighting [the building's] architectural nature, with respect to its functions and its significant role for Athens, is a big bet" Mr. Perrotis commented. "Regardless of the possibilities of utilizing the remaining floor area ratio, the primary concern is the restoration and return of the iconic building and the historic cinemas to the city " he added.
Currently, approximately 6,000 sq.m. of property is built in the block surrounded by Stadiou, I. Paparrigopoulos, Christou Lada and Parnassou streets, including the two oldest buildings at 5-7 I.Paparrigopoulos Street that house the Museum of the City of Athens - Vouros-Eutaxia Foundation: The "Old Palace", of Othon and Amalia at I. Paparrigopoulou 5 and the building at I. Paparrigopoulou 7, that used to house the family members of Konstantinos Stamatiou Vouros, including the founder of the Museum, Lampros I. Euftaxias.
The two historic cinemas span approximately at 2,000sqm.
The "Attikon" was designed by architect Ernst Ziller, commissioned by Stamatios Dekozis Vouros, a banker raised in the island of Chios, and built between 1870-1881.
The two-story building located on Stadiou 19-21, at the intersection with Christou Lada Street, is the product of several successive phases. Between 1914-1920, an important intervention took place, in one of the first applications of reinforced concrete in Athens.
The "Apollo" movie theater was developed in the basement of the building, below the offices of "Skouras Films" company, that managed the theaters to date and the stores of E. Zolota, Ger. Vassilopoulos and "Studio Costa Boda"retail.
The properties' regeneration
A simple restoration of the buildings is one of the scenarios currently under consideration. In this case, the property will be delivered exactly as it was prior to the fire of February 12, 2012, without the addition of stores in the property, given that there is a possibility of adding 6,000 sqm of urban center uses, in according with the area's building standards. The basic condition is that the facade on Stadiou Street, which is considered preservable, should not be affected in the least.
In any case, the possibility of restoring operation of the two cinema halls, prior to the total reconstruction of the complex, is under consideration. Although left intact by the fire, the halls have suffered significant damage from vandalism, as the security measures applied are rudimentary.
