A mansion in the center of Medellin, giant like those of yesteryear, andIt has been abandoned for 15 years and for four years it has not only been looted –like the Continental building in Las Palmas– but it also became a focus of garbage, bad odors, insects, rodents and dangers, according to their neighbors and merchants in the area.
The property is located at the intersection of Avenida Oriental with Calle 56, Bolivia, where until mid-2007 an old fracture clinic operated. Subsequently, the headquarters were available for lease or sale, and it even functioned as a political headquarters for Luis Pérez’s mayoral campaign.
Today the property, before surrounded by columns and railings, it is flanked by high walls that have become a target for graffiti artists and a hiding place for thieves and street dwellers.
“The House of Terror”
One of the things that reveals the proximity of the destroyed property it is the smell of urine that emanates from one of its corners, used by the hundreds of inhabitants of the street who use their sidewalks on the street to spend the night and relieve themselves.
Nevertheless, the odor issue gets worse when entering the property through one of the holes that this same population has opened.
in the main hall the floor is covered by a mixture of garbage, plastic packages and droppings from which the occasional rat emerges.
As you advance through what would be the first clinics, the garbage gives way to weeds. Even a papaya tree is already beginning to bear fruit. The plants turned the south wing of the old structure into lush stubble, ideal place for the swarm of fat gray flies that fly there.
On the walls of one of the rooms there are several doodles possibly written with a brand. Interestingly, one of the biggest phrases says: “Bless this place and don’t let anything happen to us.”
The spiral stairs that lead to the second floor retain the original wooden boards only halfway because the rest was stolen. There, contrary to the first, the floor is covered by countless garments. You have to tread carefully because at some points, Almost imperceptible, used disposable syringes are observed.
Upon reaching the third floor, the absence of the floor planks forces one to walk on the brick foundations. The walls are graffitied or darkened by the number of fires that have been lit and have even chipped off the little paint they still have.
There, thanks to what little remains of the old balcony that overlooks Oriental Avenue, pIt allows the heavy air inside the building to dissipate a bit while offering a great view of the city center.
As EL COLOMBIANO leaves the clinic, a passer-by only manages to say: “Oh, how! Did they get into the House of Terror?
“It became a pier”
The street vendors of the sector narrated the tragedy that has been dealing with such a lousy neighbor. For example Don Fernando reported that the strong odors become unbearable, especially on the south side of the property and on the days when it is sunny.
“I’ve lost half my clientele because people complain a lot, they don’t like to stay here and even less so. I used to stand regarding 100 meters behind and now I’m on the whole corner“, accurate.
“The best thing is that they remove the wall because behind him hides a lot of thief. Since they put it in, things have gotten worse,” said another vendor.
For her part, a merchant from a nearby establishment pointed out that the most serious problem is not the garbage and rodent problems that come from there, but the focus of insecurity that has become due to the sometimes massive presence of homeless people who –following receiving food from a neighboring foundation– stay the night, consuming drugs and sometimes committing thefts from the unfortunates who have to cross there at night.
While the person in charge of a neighboring parking lot He pointed out that there have been many cases in which thieves have crossed from the property to try to steal the vehicles.
“It’s almost every other day they are robbing a person there, because the area is also quite dark because of the trees. Rather, everything comes together at that point, “said another merchant while pointing out that right at the intersection there is a Police surveillance camera.
For now, those affected request that the property be demolished and that —hopefully if the money is enough— turn it into a care center for homeless people. They hope it doesn’t have to go to the extreme of becoming a new risk like Continental to get attention.
“But if it’s been so long without seeing us… it will be to continue seeing how the rats fall on us from above the wall”, they lamented.