City of Quito

• Urban development pressures affecting the authenticity of the property
• Major visitor accommodation and associated infrastructure (works in the Tower of the Complex of the Compañía de Jesús) (issue resolved)
• Management systems (weaknesses in the decision-making mechanisms regarding conservation)
• Transportation infrastructure (construction of metro, including underground station)
• Housing
• Management systems/ management plan
• Underground transport infrastructure

On 30 January 2018, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, as well as additional reports on 14 and 20 February 2018. The complete report is available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/2/documents/, and presents the following:

• The Metropolitan Development and Land Management Plan 2015-2025 (PMDOT) includes cultural heritage as one of its strategic lines of action with seven policies linked to the historical centre. In this framework, the Metropolitan Heritage Institute (IMP), in collaboration with the Zonal Administration Centre and the Metropolitan Institute of Urban Planning, is developing an Integral Plan for the Historical Centre of Quito (legally entitled the Complementary Urban Plan or Partial Plan and previously referred to as the Comprehensive Plan of Action and Management). In 2017, work continued on the elaboration of the methodology and generation of technical information;
• Since 2010, the Metropolitan District of Quito has acted as a Decentralized Autonomous Government (DAG) with full responsibility for the preservation, maintenance and dissemination of cultural and natural heritage. The Organic Law of Culture, issued in December 2016, defines the responsibilities of different agencies and levels of government. It delegates the responsibility for the cultural heritage of the property to the DAG, while the National Institute of Cultural Heritage (INPC) focusses on research, technical supervision and advice. At the local level, the Commission of Historical Areas and Heritage is responsible for the review and approval of interventions on the site, while the City Council of the Metropolitan District of Quito, through the IMP, is the entity responsible for the implementation of public policy on cultural heritage;
• In order to reverse the depopulation of the historical centre, an investment programme was launched to recover historic buildings used for housing purposes was launched. In 2017, 59 historic buildings (comprising 236 housing units) benefitted from this initiative; monitoring and risk management activities implemented included the identification of buildings subject to seismic movements and vibrations, as well as the preparation of a Risk Management Plan for the Historical Centre of Quito that will be concluded and put into effect in May 2018;
• The construction of the metro station at San Francisco Square was concluded in December 2017, while the pavement of the square is being reinstated in accordance with its original configuration. The report includes extensive information on the archaeological research carried out at San Francisco Square, Santa Clara and 24 de Mayo, monitoring activities, conservation measures, and the interpretation programme that will be exhibited in metro tunnels and platforms. A report on institutional and administrative arrangements related to the planning and construction of the station, including the excavations and interpretation programme, is also provided;
• The Metropolitan Public Company Metro de Quito (EPMMQ) is responsible for the design, construction and administration of the Quito Metro. The technical recommendations of the 2016 ICOMOS Advisory mission have been taken into account, as the design of the Impact Control Plan, which addresses preventions and mitigation issues and the submission of monthly archaeological monitoring reports by a specialized consultancy;
• Actions that are planned for 2018 include progress with the Integral Plan, strengthening of both citizen participation in management and planning and investment programmes for owners of heritage buildings, and the implementation of complementary projects to the construction of the Quito Metro.

On 25 April 2018, the State Party submitted a request to the World Heritage Centre for a technical review of the documentation and processes proposed to protect the OUV and monitor the property and its components during the metro works, particularly including tunnelling beneath the Historic Centre of Quito, which is scheduled for late 2018.

The complete and systematic state of conservation report provided by the State Party is welcomed. It provides relevant information on the management of the cultural heritage of the city, as well as the related roles and responsibilities of different levels of government. The overall objectives for the historical centre of Quito recognize its World Heritage status explicitly and pay particular attention to public spaces, housing, community participation, and sustainable development, amongst others.

The progress in the implementation of the Integral Plan of Quito is noted and it is encouraging that the methodology for its preparation incorporates concepts of the UNESCO recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape. However, this Integral Plan must meet the parameters of a Management Plan as understood in the context of the World Heritage Convention and its Operational Guidelines. Once complete, the Plan should be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies.

The city will generally benefit from the metro project, but it is disappointing that the State Party did not respond to the observations of the World Heritage Committee and its recommendation to carefully examine alternative locations for the San Francisco Square metro station, and has instead proceeded with its construction. The technical recommendations of the 2016 ICOMOS Advisory mission were partially taken into account and it is positive that the pavement of the square is being reinstated in the original configuration. The entrance to the station will be in the Pichincha building and no new constructions will be visible on the square. However, it is unclear from the documentation provided by the State Party to what extent the ground moved during excavation, or if there were any adverse impacts on the historical assets. Fortunately, the excavation of the station site took place without incurring any accidents or earthquakes. While the excavator of the tunnel mines towards the site, ongoing monitoring of surface and subsurface ground movement should inform the performance of the mining. The request from the State Party for a technical review of the documentation and processes proposed to protect the OUV and monitor the property and its components during the metro works is welcomed, but it is important that sufficient time be available between receipt of this information and the commencement of tunneling beneath the Historic Centre to allow for the completion and communication of the technical review. At a later stage, it is recommended that the State Party should also monitor the impact of the station at this location on the flow of pedestrians and the use and functions of the square so that any required corrective measures may be undertaken.