By KHT Staff
TAINAN — Taiwan’s High Administrative Court has upheld the Tainan City Government’s decision to forcibly demolish the Lai-Ya Building (來亞大樓), rejecting a lawsuit filed by several property owners who argued the order unfairly stripped them of their property rights.
The 12-story residential and commercial building, located on Fucian Road Section 2 (府前路二段) in Tainan’s West Central District, was severely damaged during the Nanxi Earthquake (楠西地震) in January 2025. Falling exterior walls from the ninth floor damaged vehicles below, prompting an emergency structural assessment.
According to the court ruling, an independent safety evaluation conducted by nine licensed civil engineers concluded that the entire structure posed an immediate danger and could not be made safe through repair or reinforcement. Engineers recommended full demolition, including the building’s two underground levels.
Former building management committee head Li Jing-lian (李靖廉) and another co-owner argued that lower floors showed no significant steel corrosion and could be preserved. They proposed partial demolition or seismic reinforcement as alternatives, claiming the city failed to consider less intrusive measures.
The court rejected those arguments, stating that expert findings showed no realistic path to restoring the building to a safe condition. “The building stands at a dense urban intersection with heavy traffic and nearby structures,” the court said, adding that the risk to life and public safety outweighed individual property claims.
Tainan’s Public Works Bureau said demolition will proceed after the Lunar New Year holiday. The ruling may still be appealed.
Photo caption: The Tainan City Government’s Public Works Bureau plans to proceed with demolition after the Lunar New Year, following a court ruling that rejected a lawsuit filed by former management committee head and other unit owners. Via Tainan City Government.
