Ministry targets Aegean eyesores

Hoping to undo some of the architectural damage wrought by developers in the archipelago, the government is considering offering incentives for entrepreneurs to voluntarily demolish the uglier sections of recent buildings in the Cyclades. According to a report in yesterday’s Ta Nea daily, Aegean Minister Nikos Sifounakis is working on the financial aspects of the project – which mainly concern hotel buildings – that he will then discuss with island hoteliers’ associations. «We are starting with the Cyclades and the smaller islands, because we can still save a few things there,» Sifounakis said.. The 53-year-old architect said owners of large buildings on harbor fronts, beaches or beauty spots – such as the Santorini caldera – would be offered incentives to knock down «one or two floors.» «The next stage is to persuade owners to alter the interior layout and join all the tiny little rooms that have a common bathroom,» he said. «That will give them the opportunity to upgrade their business and appeal to up-market tourists.»