San Franciso Plaza renovation work begins

The first phase of the project to renovate Cuenca’s San Francisco Plaza is underway as workers prepare the Passage León building on Presidente Cordova for reconstruction.
The building, which features a large glass-roofed foyer, belonged to bank that failed 14 years ago. Preliminary plans call for the space to be used for offices and crafts sales. Work is expected to take eight months.

Reconstruction plans for the plaza itself are undecided. Former mayor Paúl Granda had approved plans for an open plaza with current vendors relocated to an underground area. New mayor Marcelo Cabrera objected and has called for further review, saying he hopes to begin work on a new plan after an August visit by a UNESCO team.