Monthly Archives: September 2009

One of my first experiences was over 20 years ago, in New Rochelle, N.Y. The residence was in an historic district, so every detail was strictly dictated by local ordinances. While it may add cost to the project, the overall benefit to the neighborhood is positive. Consider what historical preservation does for maintaining home values and I think you’ll agree.

Don’t argue with historical preservationists. Especially in Paris, France. Just ask Prince Abdullah Bin Abdullah Al-Thani of Qatar, who’s attempts to renovate a property in Paris is being met with tremendous opposition. Today’s update, via Bloomberg:

A Qatari prince’s plan to restore a 17th-century mansion in Paris was blocked yesterday by a French court, which said it may mar the historical monument.

The Paris administrative court said work on the mansion, formerly owned by the Rothschild family, must be suspended. Prince Abdullah Bin Abdullah Al-Thani, a brother of the Emir of Qatar, bought the mansion for about 60 million euros ($88 million) in 2007 and had begun a 40 million-euro restoration.

The court battle was initiated by a heritage protection association that says the bathrooms, elevators and parking planned by the sheikh for his Paris home will threaten the mansion, which dates back to King Louis XIII.

“The sheikh is starting to regret having bought the house,” Eric Ginter, the prince’s lawyer, said in an interview. “This court decision suspends work for maybe two, three years. My client was ready to make such an effort to restore it.”

The three-storey building is located on Quai d’Anjou on the Ile Saint Louis in the heart of old Paris. Known as the “Hotel Lambert,” it was built in 1639 by Louis Le Vau. Some of its galleries and rooms have been decorated by artists such as Le Brun and Le Sueur. In the 19th century, composer Frederic Chopin and his partner George Sand were guests there.

Hotel Lambert has been at the center of a battle between the sheikh and the association ”Paris Historique” that pledges to protect Paris’s heritage. Since the sheikh’s purchase of the stone mansion located on a Unesco World Heritage site, he has faced opposition from many heritage associations. The Ministry of Culture said in June it supported the project.

That project has Excedrin written all over it.