Recently, the Municipal Socialist Group in the Zamora City Council has registered its proposal to study the incorporation of the “San José” school building on Avenida de Requejo to the Catalog of Protected Elements, a document that is part of the city’s General Urban Planning Plan . “The cessation of educational activity in said building has been made public, so it is likely that in the short term the owners will seek a new use. Currently this building does not have any protection, so we request that it be placed on the table and included with the level of protection that municipal technicians deem appropriate, ”says David Gago.
The socialist councilors allude to the uniqueness of the building and the urban context in which it is located to support their proposal: “the building was built in 1930 as a school of the Immaculate Conception, it has always had an educational use, currently hand in hand of the Servants of San José, who acquired it in the postwar period. It is part of the architecture of the expansion of Zamora, the avenue of Requejo has several protected buildings and we must try to preserve its aesthetics ”, reports Gago. As for its architect, his figure stands out: “the building was promoted by Enrique Roldán Prieto and designed by Antonio García Sánchez-Blanco, the author of many of the city’s unique buildings such as the Casa de las Cariátides, the Barrueco Cinema or the Martín Cañivano House, right next to the building that it intends to protect ”.
Anticipate to avoid “later regrets”
The municipal socialist group urges the government team of the Zamora City Council to promote a more in-depth study of the catalog and assess the possible incorporation of other elements of the city that are unprotected. “In this city we have lamented the destruction of landmark buildings of clear architectural interest, such as the Provincial Hospital chapel or the old Social Panera on Avenida de la Feria. The laments are sterile if they do not serve to realize the need to anticipate, the PGOU has to be a living element, which ensures an orderly urbanism respectful of the history of the city ”, says David Gago.
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