Japanese developer Sekisui House Ltd made a surprising announcement on Monday that it will be demolishing a nearly completed condominium in western Tokyo due to complaints from nearby residents about a blocked view of Mount Fuji. The 10-story, 18-unit condominium in Kunitachi, known for its iconic view of the mountain, was deemed to have insufficient consideration for the scenery impact.
Despite efforts to address concerns by reducing the number of floors and floor height, Sekisui House decided to take down the building. The company expressed regret for not adequately considering the local culture’s value of scenery and apologized to the contracted parties.
The decision to cancel the project, just weeks before the scheduled transfer to purchasers, will result in significant losses for Sekisui House. The construction costs and dismantling fees will be recorded as extraordinary losses as the company seeks to prevent a similar situation in the future.
The demolition of the condominium, located near JR Kunitachi Station, marks a rare and drastic move in response to community feedback regarding the preservation of scenic views.
© KYODO