OK, I'm not really urging anyone to knock down old buildings, but that would seem to be the most likely unintended consequence of the announcement of a proposed new law to protect old buildings.
If you own a pre-1960 building, this announcement would encourage you to knock it down now, before the law takes effect, so that you don't lose your investment (unless there is some plan to compensate owners for the loss of their investments that is not mentioned).
The other unexamined question from the story is just how many pre-1960 buildings you need to preserve an architectural heritage. If there are 1200 such buildings curently, and you are losing one a week (it would be interesting to find out the rate from now until the law takes effect), then it will be about 24 years before you run out. Do you really need all 1200 of these? Would 1000 do for the purpose? 600? 300? I don't know the answer to this question, but then no one seems much interested in finding it.
This blog began as a description of our life in Al Ain, UAE (United Arab Emirates). Brn worked at the UAE University Libraries Deanship for three years and Bss homeschooled our four children, D, B, P, and O. After returning to the the USA for five years, we are living in Abu Dhabi now.
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