HCM City (VNS/VNA) - HCM City needsto develop new laws to protect and preserve its old buildings,especially villas, experts have recommended.

Every year, the city loses more heritage buildings to urbanisation, poor urbanplanning and a lack of awareness about their economic value. 

Recently, many old or historic buildings, including villas in District 3 and BinhThanh District, have been demolished to make way for new buildings.

Many other old buildings and villas have fallen into disrepair.

Under city regulations, if the villas are museums or state-owned houses, theycan be maintained and preserved.

However, a large number that are private properties have not been taken care ofproperly. Some of the villas are so dilapidated they are no longer habitable.

Some old villas in HCM City are managed by the state, while others areprivately owned. 

Most of the villas, especially those located in expensive locations in the citycentre, have been replaced with high-rises.

Many owners of privately owned villas and old buildings have sold them forvarious reasons. 

The city does not have support or management policies to help owners preservetheir houses. 

To save the old villas, more research and evaluation should be done todetermine the value of the old villas, experts have suggested.

Cultural agencies as well as independent professional associations andprofessionals in the field could undertake these tasks. 

Owners who are considering dismantling or repairing their buildings would thinktwice about doing so if they were aware of the economic value of theirbuildings, according to experts.

In addition, information on heritage buildings should be available on websitesand in the media, preservationists have said.

In 2010, the city created a steering committeeto manage landscape conservation and draft evaluation criteria for villaclassification.

But due to financial problems, lack of manpower, and other limitations,conservation work has faced various challenges.

Architect Nguyen Van Tat, chairman of the Architectural Council at the HCM CityAssociation of Architects, said conservation must focus not only on developmentbut profitability.

Tat said that preserved heritage buildings could earn profits. 

However, he noted that a heritage site should be free for the public to visit,and that money for preservation must come from third parties. 

For example, a heritage building used to exhibit pottery could be open to thepublic, but the full cost of the operation would be financed by a ceramiccompany.

In return, the company would receive promotion as well, according to Tat.  

Le Quang Ninh, chairman of the Urban Architecture Landscape ConservationProgramme in HCM City, said the ineffectiveness of the preservation of oldbuildings and villas has been due largely to the lack of involvement ofeconomists. 

Economic efficiency is considered a key issue in the preservation of heritagebuildings. 

Businesses and economists must work together to work out a conservation planwith local authorities and professionals in the field, Ninh said. 

HCM City has about 3,000 valuable old houses and villas that could bepreserved but could likely be demolished, according to the ArchitectureResearch Centre at the city’s Department of Planning and Architecture.

Of that number, nearly 1,300 houses were built before 1975. About 168 of themare under State management and receive funds from the city for repair andpreservation.

However, only eight houses remain in good condition, according to the UrbanResearch and Development Centre.

Valuable old buildings, mostly built during the French colonial period, includethe HCM City People’s Court (built in 1881), King’s Palace or RevolutionaryMuseum (1885), Majestic Hotel and Notre Dame Cathedral (1887), Sai Gon PostOffice (1886-1891), HCM City’s People’s Committee (1907), Opera House (1900)and Ben Thanh Market (1912-1914).

Many colonial villas have been renovated and now house schools, restaurants andcoffee shops. Most of them are located in District 3 on Tu Xuong, Vo Van Tan,Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Le Quy Don, and Tran Quoc Thao streets.-VNS/VNA