Protected building's demolition unforgivable

A PROTECTED BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN SHANGHAI has been demolished, after it was sold for about 80 million yuan ($12 million), according to reports. Thepaper.cn commented on Saturday:

It is a lamentable loss for Shanghai that a protected historic building, although sold to an eligible buyer, has been lost. Its historical value aside, the old building, which was built in the 1930s, was under municipal protection and thus only internal renovation was permitted, according to relevant laws.

In Shanghai's case, the property buyer was well informed of why the building was not to be torn down and promised to abide by the laws two years ago. The demolition went beyond the agreed internal renovation and crossed the line from exercising to abusing the ownership rights to the property.