The demolition of the Cocomat Hotel on the Acropolis is estimated to cost more than 1 million euros. This project was transferred a few weeks ago to public services (decentralized management) by decision of the Council of Europe. It is a difficult and complex project that has no precedent in Greece, according to people familiar with the matter.
“It’s one thing to demolish a building arbitrarily erected on the seashore, and another to demolish 2 floors of a 33-meter high-rise building, and even in a densely built-up residential area,” the sources note. “It is not easy to interfere with the design of a functioning building, while at the same time ensuring that the building will not be damaged.” further damage or destruction.”
Let us remind you that the Ministry of Tourism announced the cessation of activities of the Coco-Mat hotel in the Athens district of Koukaki, because its owner did not comply with the authorities’ decision to demolish the two upper floors, as they “hide the view of the Acropolis.” However, the hotel continued to operate while the trials continued.
The dispute between the state and the hotel owners has been ongoing since 2019, when area residents began complaining about the height of the building. Several ministerial decrees stated that the height of the building could not exceed 21 m (but in fact it turned out that its height was 33 m).
According to the first engineering calculations, the process of demolishing the top 2 floors of the hotel will require time and money, due to the peculiarities of the masterly “surgical removal of part of the building.” It is very likely that a crane will be required and, as a result, compliance with traffic regulations over a wider area will be required, since adjacent areas will have to be closed off to arrange the construction site. Moreover, it is possible that during demolition, the static quality of the building will be affected and additional reinforcement will be requiredwhich will increase the cost of work.
Relevant government departments have already begun preparations and have already studied the market before starting tender procedures both for finding a consultant to draw up the studies and for the company that will undertake the demolition.
Cocomat management filed a series of appeals in court, arguing that the hotel, along with the two disputed floors, was built with legal permission and its total cost exceeded 11 million euros.
The dispute between the state and the hotel owners has been ongoing since 2019, when area residents began complaining about the height of the building. Several ministerial decrees stated that the height of the building could not exceed 21 m (but in fact it turned out that its height was 33 m).
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