Villa Mexico Has Reportedly Been Sold, And Fears of a Tower Are Rising

According to a recent Instagram post by Sabine Bustros, Villa Mexico in Achrafieh has reportedly been sold, with the post suggesting that a large tower could eventually rise on the property’s garden. It is important to note that the proposed tower has not been independently confirmed, and there does not appear to be a public announcement yet detailing what, if anything, is planned.

Still, the prospect is enough to bring attention back to a building that has managed to survive almost a century of change in Beirut.

A Villa That Has Seen Beirut Change

Villa Mexico dates back to 1933, placing it among the older surviving villas of Achrafieh. The building has lived through some of the most dramatic chapters in Beirut’s modern history, including the French Mandate, independence, the civil war, the city’s post-war reconstruction and, most recently, the 2020 port explosion.

In 2016, Lebanese department store group ABC rented the property and moved its headquarters there, working with Lebanese architect Raëd Abillama and his firm to restore the villa while retaining its distinctive architectural character.

When A Garden Becomes A Development Opportunity

Bustros’ post points to a familiar Beirut pattern: a historic villa remains standing, but the land around it becomes increasingly valuable. In a city where land is scarce and construction has transformed entire neighborhoods, that concern goes beyond Villa Mexico.

For now, the tower remains a possibility rather than a confirmed project. But if it does go ahead, it will be one more Beirut garden turned into square meters, and one more reminder that not everything that can be built needs to be.

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