The ministry of roads and urban development will support the transformation of historical buildings across the country into social centers, IRNA quoted deputy minister Mohammad Saeed Izadi as saying..
Attending the first meeting of Mazandran Province’s committee for the renovation of historical textures on May 5, Izadi said the government will renovate historical buildings and transfer their ownership to NGOs once the renovation is complete.
“The NGOs will then repurpose the buildings into social centers or gathering places for people interested in art and culture.”
The Urban Development and Revitalization Organization (UDRO), a subsidiary of the ministry, will handle the buildings’ renovation. In the past year, the organization has restored two historical buildings in Tehran and Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province. “The two structures were handed over to art societies and transformed into gathering places for art aficionados”,’ Izadi noted.
Pointing to the competition between mayors to restore and renovate their cities’ historical textures, Izadi said, “Mayors are the leading figures in the ministry’s project, and it is with their help that we will be able to set up social centers.”
Millions Inhabit Historical Buildings
According to the official, 18 million people nationwide live in run-down historical textures which are in dire need of renovation and safety assessment.
“At the moment, 21000 hectares of urban areas in Iran are covered with historical textures,” Izadi said, adding that the government is finalizing plans to begin renovation on historical buildings fallen into disrepair.
Izadi spoke about government loans to renovate and restore historical textures in bad condition, saying that in the current Iranian year (began March 21) individuals can apply for loans worth 500 million rials ($15,000) to renovate structures in metropolises. “To renovate cities with more than 200,000 residents 400 million rials ($12000) and in cities with less than 200,000 residents 300 million rials ($9000) per request have been allocated.”
The government will cover 9% of the 22% interest rate on the loans.
