The houses are in a prime location — right in the heart of Salemi in picturesque Sicily. The only catch is that they’re sort of, you know, in ruins. A little.
From the BBC:
The idea is the brainchild of mayor Vittorio Sgarbi, convinced it is the only way to revitalise its crumbling historic heart.
Most of the villas were damaged by an earthquake 40 years ago and since then, much of the local population moved out.
[…] “In exchange for a token payment of one euro we will offer them one of these houses and ask that they undertake to restore them within two years while respecting their original characteristics.”
Wikipedia says the renovations (more like re-construction) must employ “local artisans, masons, builders, and architects in order to jump-start the stagnant local economy. Renovation and rebuilding is estimated to cost €80,000 (114,000 USD), although realistically, the cost could be as high as €425,000 (600,000 USD).”
Still, if I had the cash I’d buy the tiniest one I could find there and rebuild it in a heartbeat.
And how’s that for a smart mayor — maybe Montreal could do that with its Olympic Stadium.
If you’ve got money to burn and a hankering for an Sicilian villa, brush up on your Italian and get in touch with Salemi’s town hall at +39 0924-991111 or salemia@tin.it.
Thanks, Cristina!
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