Hotel House

History

The building was constructed during a historic building boom, on what was then the outskirts of Porto Recanati, and was intended as tourist accommodations; however, as economic conditions changed, the apartments became occupied by low-income workers and families, mostly of foreign origin. As the area declined, services deteriorated because of non-payment of utility bills, causing sanitation issues severe enough to trigger an investigation by the European Parliament. Open drug dealing, controlled first by the Camorra and later by foreign gangs, exacerbated the area's social problems.

The building has been described as an eyesore because of its decrepitude and visual impact on the area's coastal scenery. In April 2014, the outgoing mayor of Porto Recanati, Rosalba Ubaldi, proposed demolishing Hotel House and constructing new housing in its place. In 2017, the regional government approved a resolution requesting funds from the state budget for redevelopment of the area. Politicians Matteo Salvini and Alessandra Mussolini have each visited Hotel House and supported its demolition and redevelopment.

The building's social conditions have been the subject of academic studies, publications, and documentary films.