In the Tijuca forest stands the imposing skeleton of a 16-story luxurious hotel, the Gávea Tourist Hotel. A decade before the economic miracle, the project was intended to accommodate the high society of the 1950s, but it went bankrupt halfway through and now is abandonated. 

Seven kilometers away, just a block from Ipanema beach, is the Ipanema Plaza Hotel, an asset abandoned in an area frequented by tourists and immortalized in music. Since 2017, the property has been embroiled in drama following disputes among the partners. According to disclosed proceedings, where one party filed for bankruptcy, which was denied, mismanagement of the property led to its abandonment. 

In Leblon, the Marina Hotel keeps its lights off. A renovation promised to deliver the property in 2021, yet construction signs still adorn its facade today. When questioned by reporters, BHG did not respond to inquiries or justify the abandonment of the project. 

Liborio explains that although these problems differ from those seen in downtown Rio, they are symptoms of a larger issue affecting the city: rapid market changes. According to the researcher, the hotel industry has struggled to adapt to the changes in the city, similar to what has been observed in the downtown real estate market. 

"I think we can continue to look at this from a historical perspective. The hotel industry will adapt to this new reality, which is not favorable to the city. If you look closely, other surviving hotels are around the subway, out of necessity. Rio de Janeiro is a city where traffic is no longer favorable. It's a reflection of this reality," he remarks. 

The decree signed by Eduardo Paes may be a solution, but to what extent? One of Liborio's concerns is the fate of these properties. In March, a derelict building collapsed in Republic Square, without casualties, but this wasn't the first similar incident. 

In October 2023, a partial collapse occurred in a building on Travessa do Comércio, near Arco do Teles, affecting properties in the area and endangering the protected ensemble of Square XV. 

"We have a very big problem in Rio de Janeiro, which is the excess of actions that are not systemic. For example, our parliament, our legislature, has had a wave of heritage listings for everything, architectural heritage, material heritage, etc., that do not lead to practices that are exactly for preservation. You have a trivialization of the heritage of the listing. The Listing Institute should be valued in the preservation and the adaptation of this heritage, a function must be considered," says Liborio. 

One of the paths to be followed is the re-adaptation of the properties. The historian cited the example of the Glória Hotel, which will be transformed into a residential development. Another measure being implemented is the Cultural Revival program, which seeks to repurpose downtown properties into cultural spaces. 

A decision by the 6th Federal Court of Rio de Janeiro in April requested the Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional (Iphan) and the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) to restore a property located at Republic Square, number 22, owned by UFRJ and leased to Iphan – the building is at risk of collapse.