Clásica y Moderna, once frequented by literary figures, closes

[sergio]

I don't hold out any hope that it will be temporary: look what happened to Cafe Richmond. I used to go there from time to time The city had required the new owners to leave some vestiges of the old place so I called in after the conversion to see what they had done. I only did it once for, who wants to go into a retail store to look at some old tables and chairs? It wouldn't surprise me if even that little corner gets swept away - if it hasn't been swept away already. And don't mention Cafe Retiro!

There was some furniture left over from the Richmond? All I remember seeing were Adidas for sale. I wonder what happened to those beautiful chairs and tables. I'd like to have bought some. The Richmond was a really classic cafe. It's even mentioned in Graham Green's novel the Honourary Consul.

Cafe Retiro? In the station? Have they ruined that too? The station itself is in better shape these days.

What's happened to the Ideal? It was in dreadful condition over twenty years ago but it was still vaguely functioning as a confiteria. Then it started to put on tango shows.

 

[perry]

https://pirottapress.com/happytango/tag/confiteria-ideal/

This famous and atmospheric milonga has been closed now for over 2 years. They were supposed to close for six months but have not reopened since now close to 30 months. Imho this goverment has been a disgrace in protecting its heritage and culture and Tango Is Argentinas national symbol like Football which the goverment spends hundreds of millions on .

 

[elhombresinnombre]

There was some furniture left over from the Richmond? All I remember seeing were Adidas for sale. I wonder what happened to those beautiful chairs and tables. I'd like to have bought some. The Richmond was a really classic cafe. It's even mentioned in Graham Green's novel the Honourary Consul.

Cafe Retiro? In the station? Have they ruined that too? The station itself is in better shape these days.

What's happened to the Ideal? It was in dreadful condition over twenty years ago but it was still vaguely functioning as a confiteria. Then it started to put on tango shows.

Cafe Richmond. Right at the back, diagonally opposite the entrance, they had left some of the original decor and a couple of tables and chairs. I understood that to be the city's condition for allowing the transformation but it's pathetic, not a worthy tribute to such an important memory at all.

Cafe Retiro. Would you like fries with that Whopper?

As Perry said up ^^there^^ Cafe Ideal closed for six months for renovations - more than two years ago.

 

[sergio]

Cafe Richmond. Right at the back, diagonally opposite the entrance, they had left some of the original decor and a couple of tables and chairs. I understood that to be the city's condition for allowing the transformation but it's pathetic, not a worthy tribute to such an important memory at all.

Cafe Retiro. Would you like fries with that Whopper?

As Perry said up ^^there^^ Cafe Ideal closed for six months for renovations - more than two years ago.

The restaurants in Retiro have been pathetic for a long time. Edward VIII when Prince of Wales had tea in one of the Retiro restaurants. That was before the whopper days.

 

[sergio]

https://pirottapress.com/happytango/tag/confiteria-ideal/

This famous and atmospheric milonga has been closed now for over 2 years. They were supposed to close for six months but have not reopened since now close to 30 months. Imho this goverment has been a disgrace in protecting its heritage and culture and Tango Is Argentinas national symbol like Football which the goverment spends hundreds of millions on .

The Ideal was a confiteria years ago. I don't think the tangos started until more recent years. i remember it as an architecturally stunning building in bad shape. Then apparently to help pay the bills they started tango shows. And now even that's gone.

 

[florence]

The reports/rumors I hear are that Ideal is now supposed to reopen toward the end of this year, but without tango. The new investor group is said to be the one that owns Las Violetas and is planning an upscale cafe/restaurant like Las Violetas. Although Ideal was not originally a tango venue, it was one for many years and well-beloved by many tangueros, despite its decrepit state. It did need restoration. At least once, pieces of the ceiling fell down on the dancers during a milonga. But I, for one, have many fond memories of dancing there and am saddened by its loss as a tango venue.

 

[Ries]

I see all of this as another piece of evidence of "Culo Del Mundo Syndrome".
The argentine attitude that Argentina is the worst place on earth, because Iphones are so expensive here.
The attitude that everything new is always better.
The attitude that it doesnt matter if you tear down historic and beautiful architecture to build crappy 7 story apartment buildings, because, hey, we have more historic houses.

Reminds me of that old song from Propellerheads- When you had it, you didnt want it, now you aing got it and you want it back.

 

[Ries]

Usually what follows is the demolition of the building. The old Confiteria Del Sol building, on Santa Fe and Armenia, which, since the 1940s, was the german restaurant Hermann, has just been torn down, a year or two after a similar rent raise caused Hermann to close. https://www.facebook.com/pg/PATRIMONIOI/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10153096939813382

A couple of blocks away, a very nice building by the Kalnay Brothers, who were very important hungarian/argentine architects, was torn down to build a new, multistory, soulless condo building on the corner of Araoz and Santa Fe.
http://andresyjorgekalnay.blogspot....c3Atos8lB0SjAsiLTFf27mF5-YH1NwhGXzliNMfeJ5_0U

This sort of thing is happening monthly.

There is very little protection for historic buildings here, and, regardless of the inflation and the economy, the razing of historic houses, and the building of new, very low quality, ugly, expensive new apartments is not slowing in the least- I see dozens every day, under construction, in my wanderings of the city.

 

[perry]

Buenos Aires should implement a historical protection society as to conserve its architecture and culture . Buenos Aires is losing its identity that made it world famous . Look at the video below and see how much elegant the city was just 60 years ago

 

[Ries]

Preservation "Societies" do nothing. There are only two things that can preserve historic buildings-
Cash and Government Regulation.

There are already several groups that agitate for Preservation. "Societies" if you will. But without government regulation, prohibiting the demolition of important buildings, Societies can do nothing, unless they are rich enough to buy buildings outright.
Many privately owned buildings appear to be protected- until the day they are not.

A few important buildings are owned by the City, and are used as museums or government offices- but seldom smaller residential or commercial buildings like these.

http://la-tragedia-del-patrimonio.blogspot.com/