Xindian Cai Jinmu Residence Not Designated Cultural Heritage Site After Review

A building in New Taipei City's Xindian District, known as the Cai Jinmu Residence, will not be designated as a cultural heritage site. The decision was made by the New Taipei City Cultural Affairs Bureau after a review found the property lacked sufficient cultural and historical value.

The property owner had applied for preservation, but a committee determined the building's current form and historical contributions did not meet legal standards. The bureau stated that the building, originally constructed on public land, has undergone multiple renovations, making its original craftsmanship difficult to identify. Furthermore, the Cai family's contributions to water management or the local coal industry were deemed not highly relevant to the building itself.

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The building's architectural style and materials do not match the characteristics of a "decisive battle type" residence, and after multiple renovations, its original craftsmanship and techniques are difficult to identify.

The residence has been occupied by the same family for over 70 years. The current owner, Lai Bi-zhen, and her family had sought to purchase the land from the water conservancy authority but were denied. The land was later sold to a developer who wishes to build an apartment complex. Lai has been in a legal dispute with the developer for years, and a court ordered her to vacate the property. However, she has resisted, gaining support from community groups in her decade-long fight to have the building recognized as a historical or commemorative structure.

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The historical function of the building and the contributions of the figures associated with it cannot be shown to have a high degree of relevance.