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AKARTA: Two old buildings, located near Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo's official residence in Menteng, Central Jakarta, are about to be torn down to allow for the construction of new buildings, says the city property control and supervision agency (P2B).

An official with the agency, Pupung, said no. 42 and 44 on Jl Teuku Umar were heritage-listed buildings.

"They are grouped on a conservation list. One has B status and the other has C status."

Status B is for buildings that can be renovated without changing the main structure, said Arya Abieta, an expert from the center of Indonesian architecture archives.

Status C is for buildings that can be changed or rebuilt, but the structures have to follow the design of nearby buildings,

Pupung said the Central Jakarta P2B office had allowed for the renovation of the buildings.

Pupung said demolition required permission from a higher agency.

There are a number of heritage-listed houses in Menteng. Many of them have morphed into modern buildings, functioning as beauty salons or health clinics. Some have been demolished.

The head of culture and tourism at the Jakarta administration, Arie Budiman, said the city has at least 273 protected buildings.