The Athens Municipality Council launched the ‘FACADE’ program on Wednesday to help renovate the city’s architectural heritage, themayor.eu reports.
According to a statement by the city, the program will see 1.5 million euros in funding go towards restoring, maintaining and aesthetically upgrading building facades, as well as fund greening projects for facades, gardens and roofs.
The last time local officials instituted a similar program was 19 years ago, just before the Greek capital hosted the 2004 Olympic Games.
Many of the historic structures in Athens have been built before the 1970s and now they have been neglected. Their paint is faded, facades chipping away or collecting layers of soot from car traffic.
Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis said this new program will benefit the city and its homes.
READ MORE: Picturesque Anafiotika gets municipal makeover.
“The old and worn buildings of Athens, including many of unique architectural beauty and history, which for years had been left to their fate and were covered by the grey of pollution, will be able to gain new life on the canvas of the city,” Mayor Bakoyannis said.
The maximum amount of a subsidy for repairs and repainting is capped at 6,000 euros. At the same time, in cases where buildings need restoration work on plastic ornaments and the like, the subsidy could be as high as 7,200 per building.
Source: themayor.eu.
