Heritage Watch: Another landmark to vanish

Jammi Buildings has changed hands and is slated for demolition. Associated with Jammi’s Liver Cure which saved the lives of several infants from the 1930s till the 1970s, it was a landmark in the Mylapore-Royapettah area. It was in every way a tribute to the vision of its founder Jammi Venkataramanayya.

Constructed in 1951, Jammi Buildings is also a tribute to the Art Deco style. The architect (not identified at present) made perfect use of a trapezoid plot to come up with a commercial edificethat allowed fresh air, light, and ease of access. The recent years have not been kind to Jammi Buildings. Ad hoc extensions, lack of uniformity in signage and poor maintenance, all combined to give it a run-down appearance and it was but a question of time before its fate was sealed.

‘Why are you lamenting over such an ugly building,’ was a comment received on social media. But that ugliness was superficial. A coat of paint, a removal of unwanted additions and uniformity of signage would have restored Jammi Buildings to all its beauty. But in Chennai we have not come to appreciate buildings for anything beyond real estate value. And there are no rewards to owners for preserving heritage.

And so, farewell, Jammi Buildings.

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