Local services
This year, a HUF 200 million grant was launched to support the renovation of unique, locally protected buildings in Debrecen.
Following a call for applications, the first winner was the residents’ association of the building at 10-12 Szent Anna Street, Mayor László Papp announced on the 7th of November 2024.
At a press conference, he said the municipality announced a vital programme to ensure that the city’s care policy is reflected in the social sphere and has a stimulating effect in other areas of life. This is reflected in a unique programme in our country, where the municipality is helping to renovate ageing prefabricated buildings from its resources. It is equally important to take care of Debrecen’s architectural heritage, so the city has launched a programme this year to support the renovation of local unique or listed buildings, which is in line with its economic strength, which fortunately it has. The renovation of buildings of significant importance for the townscape – buildings that are a hundred years old or more – is a considerable challenge, especially financially, for the owners and communities living in them.
As these buildings are getting older, the owners are unlikely to be able to carry out the necessary renovations on their own without financial support from the city. This idea is behind the Local Individual or Historic Building Conservation Grants scheme. László Papp said that four residents’ associations had expressed interest in the call for applications, and three had submitted their applications. As a result, it was decided that the city would sign a grant contract with two of them. One of the winners is the community of the building at 10-12 St. Anna Street, and the other is the community of the so-called Svetits tenement at 43 Piac Street.
The former was built in 1926-1927, the latter in 1929-1930. Both buildings are of great value from a town-planning point of view. The building at 10-12 Szent Anna Street will now receive the total amount of HUF 200 million earmarked for this year in the programme, which is roughly half of the renovation costs that the residents’ association can afford. The planned works include the renovation of the roof and the façade, the standardisation of the windows and the renewal of the portals of the ground-floor shops. This is not an energy renovation but an urban development project.
The mayor thanked the residents’ association for providing half the funds needed for the planned works. This investment will improve the town and benefit the owners, as the value of their apartments in the building will increase. He also presented a certificate to the joint representative of the condominium as a symbol of the grant.
Since the decision-maker, the City Assembly’s Committee for the Environment and Urban Development, based on the criteria established by the Office of the Chief Architect of the Mayor’s Office, awarded this year’s total budget to the condominium at 10-12 Szent Anna Street, the city will support the renovation of the building at 43 Piac Street with the same amount, HUF 200 million, from the 2025 budget. Both buildings are large condominiums with many apartments, but the city would like to provide this support for renovating smaller buildings and apartment blocks in the future.
Andrea Debreceni, representative of the building at 10-12 Szent Anna Street, thanked the city for its support on behalf of the owners of the building, which is a great help to the residents, as they have been planning the renovation of the building for years. Until now, there have always been points where efforts have stalled due to a lack of funds, such as rising construction prices and interest rates on loans. However, with the city’s support, they seem to be able to renovate the building, and they thank everyone who has helped in this endeavour. The residents’ association plans to start the renovation this year and complete it by the end of next year.
Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu
