On January 14, 1910, just one month after the death of the mayor, the City Hall donated to Mayor’s John Banescu wife the lots A1 and 2 of the box B.A. to build a house. The Architect of the commune, Nicolae Loghiu, approved a plan of dwelling on Carol Street, shops and a cave, located on the corner at the intersection with Decebal.
His wife, Elena Banescu born Handoca, a distinguished schoolmistress, in the Primary Girls School No. 2 in Constanta, died in May 1911 aged 38 years. He left behind four orphaned minors, two boys and two girls, whom Lucia Lapusneanu Elena’s sister grew up with love. The goods left by husbands Banescu run on behalf of children to adulthood. The house was built tough, with support from the municipality, for the mayor Bănescu children.
During the first World War, fleeing from the enemy who occupied Dobrogea, the family fled to Moldova. On their return from exile they found the house devastated, and thousands of books, manuscripts, documents of great historical importance disappeared.
The house is hardly rebuilt, and it is registerd on the name of Gheorghe Bănescu, one of the majors’ sons, but another destructive war and the end of forced Sovietization. Among the houses requisitioned by the Soviets is this one. In 1947 the literary circle of Dobrogea Branch of the Writers’ Union held its meetings here and the 1949 Regional Central Library is moved here. In 1952 the building is renovated. t is suggested that the property be expropriated for public use. They are probably pressuring owner in order to give up willingly.
In Constanta archives is the doantion document from 1962 by which the husbands Bănescu Gheorghe and Bănescu Maria Elena said: „ we declare that we donate our property to the People’s Hall in the Dobrogea region, headquartered in Constanţa – located in Constanta, no. 110 Tomis Avenue, composed of ground surface 499 (four hundred ninety nine) square meters, forming the lot 4 in the box „Ba” and one house with ground floor and an attic. We acquired this property through inheritance from our aunt Lăpuşneanu Lucia, who died in 1947, whose heirs we are unique.
The building becomes the ICRAL property who uses it as headquarters for various rganizations, establishments, undertakings suc as: The pioneers House, UCEFS, slots game center, Victoria cooperative.
On 19 Octobrie 1990 the prefect Adrian Radulescu, considering its net asset value, attributed this house of Banescu to Popular arts school.
In 2006, Directorate for Culture, Religious Affairs and National Heritage Constanta communicated its intention to to grade as a historic monument the Popular Arts School building – Constanra, 110 Tomis in order to legally protect and time preservation of its architectural and memorial value.
In force since October 9, 2014.
Excellent groomed, today here is the County Cultural Centre „Teodor Burada”, a representative institution for Constanta.
