December 7th, 2012, 1:26 pm
QuoteOriginally posted by: GamalRead rather this.QuoteDmitry Stroskin said he had found the chateau after several years of searching around France and had ?fallen in love with it?. Even although it had been in poor condition, he had wanted to renovate it. But, he said, he did not bear a grudge. The damage was done and he planned to work with a Paris architect to ?rebuild an identical Bellevue?. However, local newspaper Sud Ouest said that he had plans already drawn up by a Polish firm of architects for a new Bellevue. A contract worth ?1.5million had already been agreed with a local masonry firm for a two-year build. Is still there anyone who believes it was a mistake? A rich Russian wanted an old but new chateau. All was planned in details from the very begining.I suspect the same. If this building had a "protection" status, then usually 3-4 different authorities might be involved and the owner needs permits even to change a window. Usually such buildings can barely serve today's needs. An "accident" or natural catastrophe, seems quite a convenience excuse to renovate it radically. Hiring Polish builders may have been part of the scenario. Local builders cant claim ignorance of local regulations.