Marking the single largest demolition of buildings in years, bulldozers pulled down parts of massive multi-storey buildings that had allegedly violated the construction laws by adding two extra floors on each without permit in Jeddah on Monday. The buildings, owned by a Palestinian investor among city slumlords, stand with thousands of riyals in outstanding building code citations, officials said. A government panel of Jeddah police and mayoralty reported to the site at 9 A.M. on Monday to officially order the destruction of the extra floors of the six-building complex. Each unlicensed floor was found to have three apartments planned to be released for sale upon completion of construction. Despite regular stop work and demolition notices from the municipality issued to the Palestinian owner, he continued building both floors and basements without permit. Another apartment building in Azizia approved for only 5 floors was found to have two extra floors in violation. They were demolished as well. “All buildings found with violations will be demolished,” said Nawaf Al-Luqmani, director of building control department at Azizia municipality. Unauthorized floors on a building present an eminent danger or threat to the lives of residents and adjacent properties, he said. All violators whose buildings were demolished had been notified and warned, but they ignored the instructions, he added. The demolition was supervised by Eng. Mattar Al-Malki, director of Azizia municipality. – Okaz __
