The China Post
Date: July 11, 2016
By: Christine Chou
TAIPEI, Taiwan — New life has been breathed into cities as old, deteriorating buildings are fixed up
This photo shows the facade of a building constructed during the Japanese colonial era in Taichung City. The Natural Way Six Arts Cultural Center served as a dormitory and training quarters for policemen and prison guards.(Yuan-Ming Chiao)
and reworked to house chic cafes, restaurants and hotels. Most see the trend as a turn for the better, especially when it boosts tourism, inspires entrepreneurship and preserves cultural heritage all at once.
Others are a bit overwhelmed by the hype. The devastating earthquake that shook the nation in February begs the question: Are older buildings safe?
With no regulatory framework in place to ensure the safety of older houses — unlike recent construction projects that are forced to follow strict standards established after the violent 921 Earthquake in 1999 — who is to tell whether a bed-and-breakfast owner had placed safety concerns above aesthetics?
“There is simply no way everyday customers can know whether old houses are dangerous, apart from two ways — trusting their instincts or paying a visit to the local Civil Affairs Bureau,” said Kevin Chien (簡榮秋), head of real estate agency Century 21’s Chongshan branch in Tainan.
People are still buying, despite a sluggish realty market seen over the past two years, remarked Chien. [FULL STORY]