THE MASPERO Triangle is 74 feddans, or 288,500 square metres, in area. It houses 3,500 families, or 18,000 inhabitants. Four-fifths of the inhabitants have lived in the area for generations, and many of the buildings date back to the early 19th century. According to Madd, about 81.5 per cent of the inhabitants have lived in the area for generations. About 10.5 per cent are from outside Cairo, and eight per cent are from adjacent areas in Cairo. About 68 per cent of the population works in the Maspero Triangle, while 22 per cent works outside it. Urban development of the Maspero Triangle started in 1807 and was mostly concentrated around the Abul-Ela Mosque. In 1888, more buildings were added, mostly as extensions of the downtown area. From 1888 to 1948, more buildings appeared along Fouad Street, now 26 July Street. In 1975, new development came to a near halt. According to the architectural survey by Madd, 50 per cent of the buildings in the Maspero Triangle were built between 1890 and 1929, 39 per cent were built between 1930 and 1949, and 10 per cent were built between 1950 and 1976. A small number of buildings were built between 1980 and 2013, mostly replacing buildings that collapsed in the 1992 earthquake. A ban on repairs by the government has been in place for nearly 30 years, adding to the dilapidation of housing stock. About 14 per cent of the buildings in the area are in poor shape, 16 per cent are partially demolished, 37 per cent are in a mediocre state, and 30 per cent are in good condition. The Ministry of Information owns 14.2 per cent of the MT land, including the state television building, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs owns 13.5 per cent of the land. A Kuwaiti developer owns about 20.9 per cent of the MT, most of which is occupied by residential units. The Maspero Company, a government-run share-holding enterprise, owns 11.3 per cent of the MT. Streets and services owned by the Cairo Governorate constitute about 10.2 per cent of the total. Private landlords own nearly 13.4 per cent of the land, a Saudi developer owns 3.2 per cent, Cairo Governorate owns buildings covering 3.2 per cent of the land, and the Italian Consulate owns 1.7 per cent. The Ministry of Antiquities owns heritage and architecturally significant buildings, constituting a further 1.8 per cent of the area.
