Officials face prosecution for failing to trim top floors of Istanbul’s silhouette-spoiling skyscrapers
An Istanbul public prosecutorâs office has demanded permission from a district governorâs office for an investigation into officials from the Zeytinburnu Municipality, as a part of the legal process over three skyscrapers spoiling the cityâs historic silhouette on the European side.
The Bakırköy Public Prosecutorâs Office demanded to launch a prosecution into the Zeytinburnu mayor and the heads of the municipalityâs directorate of technical works and public housing for failing to follow a court ruling that ordered the destruction of the top floors of the towers.
The construction of the 37, 32 and 27-storey buildings in the Zeytinburnu district had sparked a lively debate after they were built, as they were clearly visible in the panorama behind the Süleymaniye Mosque on the cityâs historic peninsula.
The Council of State approved the destruction ruling by Istanbulâs 4th Administrative Court after the cancellation of the projectâs construction plans and license. In its decision, the court explained that the skyscrapers were illegal, as they ânegatively affected the world heritage site that the Turkish government was obliged to protect.â
According to the regulations, the maximum construction elevation cannot be higher than 70 meters in Zeytinburnu in order to protect the cityâs silhouette, requiring the controversial towers to be reduced to 23 storeys.
A tender for the destruction of the floors launched by the Zeytinburnu Municipality was cancelled after no company applied to participate in it. The legal process then became stuck after the owner of the towers, Astay Gayrimenkul, appealed the courtâs decision to trim the towers.
A second tender has yet to be issued by the municipality...
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