End of the high life: Eccentric Beijing doctor's illegal penthouse villa is demolished
Infamous rooftop structure that was the bane of residents' and officials now just a pile of debris
A powerful Beijing doctor’s illegal villa atop a 26-storey building in the capital has been dismantled one year after authorities issued the demolition orders.
The two-floor villa – equipped with several dining halls, gyms, karaoke bars, guest rooms and an open-air swimming pool, according to media reports – caused a stir when it came to public attention last year as much for its oddity and the eccentric reputation of its owner.
Zhang Biqing, who made his fortune in traditional Chinese medicine, on Tuesday invited a group of reporters from Beijing to survey what remained of his sprawling villa in northwest Beijing.
Zhang showed the steel boards and debris littering where the structure once stood. The Beijing Morning Post reported that Zhang had yet to tear down a few stairs.
The capital’s urban enforcement authorities had issued an ultimatum last August for the structure to be torn down within 15 days.
Watch: Drone footage of the illegal rooftop before demolition