As magnificent as they were, most of Curaçao's architectural treasures carried the seeds of their own physical deterioration. The salt from the sea stones and sand that were used in their construction lurked quietly under the surface for years, then began leaching out, eating away at the structure from within. Today the signs of this "wall cancer", as it has been graphically named by locals, can be seen everywhere on many crumbling facades.

With the establishment of the oil refinery, agriculture, long in decline, came to a virtual standstill, and most of the remaining country estates were abandoned. To house the booming population, new neighborhoods were constructed around the city center.

By the 1950s Willemstad's well to do left their stately mansions for the suburbs. As recently as the mid 1980s whole areas of the city lay in seemingly hopeless ruin, and much of Otrobanda, Pietermaai and Scharloo was the domain of the down and out.

In spite of the decline there have always been a few voices raised in defense of Curaçao's architectural heritage. As early as 1913 people were publicly decrying the dual influences of "wall cancer" and abandonment.

In 1954 the private, non-profit Monument Foundation was established; its early efforts focused on the dozens of abandoned country houses.

The first major urban makeover was a four-block pilot renovation project in Otrobanda in the mid 1980s; it set the standard for others.

Today the Dutch government has included Willemstad on its list of priority renovation projects and there are close to half a dozen private and public sector organizations that are committed to preserving and renovating these treasures.

Entire areas of the city have been given a facelift. Once decayed Scharloo and Pietermaai are emerging as important business districts. The many now-prominent people who grew up in Otrobanda when it was an intellectual and cultural center have played a vital role in promoting renovation of their old neighborhoods.

According to a comprehensive survey by the government Monument Bureau there are 750 historic buildings in Willemstad alone which merit preservation.

New scaffolding goes up almost every month. Progress has been astonishing in just ten years and it is likely that, by the end of the decade, whole areas of the city will have regained their former splendor.