five buildings in Old Jeddah listed as of first and second class historic importance are in danger of collapse according to city authorities, and recurring fires have destroyed a number of other old structures according to residents of the area, 99 percent of whom are non-Saudis. Despite the fact that the Jeddah mayoralty has signed a contract with a team of French experts to restore the architecturally unique buildings in the area, and that it recently signed contracts worth SR30 million to maintain those buildings and approved 42 projects to develop them, some people say there might be a need for an independent ministry to preserve the country's historic treasures. Others suggest the need for the establishment of large museums to protect the 58 first-class buildings, 236 second-class buildings and 243 third-class buildings in Old Jeddah's historic area. One of the area's residents, Abdulwahhab Al-Ahmar of Al-Sham District, says that it is clear that there has been a change for the worse in the area. “Old Jeddah suffers from negligence with fires having destroyed some of its features,” he said. “This negligence includes property owners, many of whom have rented out their buildings as warehouses and as residential houses to large numbers of expatriates. The authorities must act quickly to revive the area and protect it before its identity is completely lost,” he added. Abdullah Bin Abdullah Al-Ismael, aYemeni, said he has been living in Old Jeddah for almost 40 years. “I grew up here after I came from Yemen as a child. I know the area like the back of my hand,” he said. He pointed to a building where an old Jeddah family once lived. “That house was empty for a long time before a Yemeni family came to live there. I was happy because Yemenis know the value of such houses as there are many similar and older buildings in their country,” he explained. Nabeel Sulaiman, a resident, recalls several accidents and fires over the past few years that destroyed a number of old houses with important heritage value. “Several well-known buildings either collapsed or were destroyed by fire, including three in Al-Sham District and two in Al-Mathloom District, one of which was the Banajah House in which King Abdul Aziz once resided,” he said. One of Al-Jakhdar House's three attached buildings also collapsed, with the other two in danger of suffering the same fate. Sulaiman cited several other houses that were partially or entirely gutted by fires including the Qattab, Al-Kabli, Baqais and Al-Dakhakini houses. Chief of Al-Sham and Al-Mathloom districts Sami Omar Ba Isa, who has lived in Old Jeddah all his life, said that developing the area requires “instilling the concept of historic legacy in the minds of its current residents”. He said the area “needs to have its original residents back because they can appreciate its historic value.” He noted that there is a study that recommended that all historic houses be bought by the government and be restored and maintained as a part of the heritage of the entire Kingdom, not only of Jeddah. Dr. Adnan Abbas Adas, Director of the Historic Area Department, said that 11 percent of all the buildings in Old Jeddah are listed as first-class buildings and that they include houses, mosques and buildings that were used in the past as headquarters of government bodies and consulates, in addition to sites that witnessed significant historical events. He said that Old Jeddah, which is an important part of the country's cultural identity, has deteriorated over the past 20 years due to natural factors and inappropriate use. “Reviving the area requires social and economic rehabilitation,” he said. He noted that Jeddah municipality in cooperation with several partners, such as, the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), has prepared plans to manage, preserve and develop the area which will be implemented soon. Adas said a contract that has been signed with a team of French experts involving courses for engineers and specialists on urban rehabilitation and development. These courses include lectures and field training in which trainers will demonstrate methods that can be used to ensure high quality restoration of historic sites at the lowest possible cost. Adas said the contract also involves a technical guide that is being printed and will be available on the mayoralty's website. The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has signed three contracts with local firms, worth SR30 million, to improve and maintain pavements, lightning and alleys in the city's historic area, Adas said, adding that the sites to be maintained are being handed over to contractors who will take 24 months to complete their projects. He said 42 projects to develop the historic area will be carried out in three stages over ten years. The most important project is a concrete tunnel for infrastructure services to ensure easier future maintenance and to avoid further damage to the area. Other development projects include renovating historic buildings for office, residential and commercial purposes. Some of them will be turned into museums, cultural centers, a handicraft institute and a tourism college. Adas held building owners responsible for the deterioration of their property. “They don't maintain their buildings carefully and they rent them out to people who use them improperly by having large numbers of people residing, often beyond the building's capacity. Those tenants also commit violations regarding electric power extensions and connections for water.” Adel Faqih, Mayor of Jeddah, has said that the mayoralty intends to strengthen safety measures in the historic area to protect it from fires which are especially dangerous because of the large quantities of wood in the buildings and the narrow alleys which make it difficult for Civil Defense personnel to reach the area with their equipment. Sami Nawwar, Director of tourism at Jeddah Municipality, said that there were once 550 houses in the historic area, but that many of them have been destroyed by fire or have collapsed for lack of repairs. “The number is now between 300 and 400,” he said.
