Jul 22, 2014

Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families Tuesday out of a half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the world’s tallest slum.

The mass eviction from the “Tower of David,” originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully.

“Necessity brought me here, and the tower gave me a good home,” said Yuraima Parra, 27, cradling her baby daughter as soldiers loaded her possessions into a truck before dawn.

“I was here for seven years. I’m going to miss it, but it’s time to move on.”

: Evicted residents of Tower of David walks out the building to a bus which will transport them to their new house in Caracas July 22, 2014. Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families on Tuesday out of the half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the tallest slum in the world. The mass eviction from the “Tower of David”, originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: An evicted resident from the Tower of David walks out of the building to a bus which will transport them to their new houses in Caracas July 22, 2014. Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families on Tuesday out of a half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the tallest slum in the world. The mass eviction from the “Tower of David”, originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Evicted residents of Tower of David wait for a bus to transport them to their new homes in Caracas July 22, 2014. Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families on Tuesday out of a half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the tallest slum in the world. The mass eviction from the “Tower of David”, originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: An evicted resident of Tower of David sits in a pick-up truck as belongings are transferred to a bigger vehicle in Caracas July 22, 2014. Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families on Tuesday out of a half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the tallest slum in the world. The mass eviction from the “Tower of David”, originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: An evicted resident of Tower of David sits in a bus, as the building is reflected on the window, which will transport them to the new home in Caracas July 22, 2014. Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families on Tuesday out of a half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the tallest slum in the world. The mass eviction from the “Tower of David”, originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Evicted resident of Tower of David Maria Davila and her parrot Coti sit in a bus which will transport them to their new home in Caracas July 22, 2014. Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families on Tuesday out of a half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the tallest slum in the world. The mass eviction from the “Tower of David”, originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Evicted residents of Tower of David walk out the building to a bus which will transport them to their new house in Caracas July 22, 2014. Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families on Tuesday out of a half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the tallest slum in the world. The mass eviction from the “Tower of David”, originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: A sofa written with the name of an evicted resident of the “Tower of David” is seen as national guards transport residents’ belongings to a new house, in Caracas July 22, 2014. Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families on Tuesday out of a half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the world’s tallest slum. The mass eviction from the “Tower of David”, originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Evicted residents of Tower of David walk out the building to a bus which will transport them to their new house in Caracas July 22, 2014. Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families on Tuesday out of a half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the tallest slum in the world. The mass eviction from the “Tower of David”, originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Belongings of an evicted resident of the “Tower of David” are seen as national guards transport them to a new house, in Caracas July 22, 2014. Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families on Tuesday out of a half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the world’s tallest slum. The mass eviction from the “Tower of David”, originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Venezuelan national guard carry into a truck the belongings of evicted Tower of David (in the background) residents in Caracas July 22, 2014. Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families on Tuesday out of a half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the tallest slum in the world. The mass eviction from the “Tower of David”, originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Evicted residents of Tower of David wait for a bus to transport them to their new house in Caracas July 22, 2014. Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families on Tuesday out of a half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the tallest slum in the world. The mass eviction from the “Tower of David”, originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: People load trucks with the belongings of evicted Tower of David (in the background) residents in Caracas July 22, 2014. Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families on Tuesday out of a half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the tallest slum in the world. The mass eviction from the “Tower of David”, originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Evicted residents of Tower of David wait for a bus to transport them to their new house in Caracas July 22, 2014. Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families on Tuesday out of a half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the tallest slum in the world. The mass eviction from the “Tower of David”, originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Evicted residents of Tower of David wait for a bus to transport them to their new house in Caracas July 22, 2014. Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families on Tuesday out of a half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the tallest slum in the world. The mass eviction from the “Tower of David”, originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: A skyscraper known as the “Tower of David” is seen in Caracas, Venezuela. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Men rest after salvaging metal on the 30th floor of the “Tower of David” skyscraper in Caracas. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Gabriel Rivas, 30, lifts weights on a balcony on the 28th floor of the “Tower of David” skyscraper in Caracas. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Teenagers chat on the 10th floor of the “Tower of David” skyscraper in Caracas. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: A woman walks on a roof of the “Tower of David” skyscraper. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: A woman looks out of a window at her shop in a corridor inside the “Tower of David” skyscraper in Caracas. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: A view of the lobby from the top of the “Tower of David” skyscraper in Caracas. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Maria works in a sewing workshop in her apartment inside the “Tower of David” skyscraper. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Men salvage metal on the 30th floor of the “Tower of David” skyscraper in Caracas. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Men salvage metal on the 30th floor of the “Tower of David” skyscraper in Caracas. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Nicolas Alvarez speaks on the telephone in his apartment on the 27th floor of the “Tower of David” skyscraper. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Francisco, 18, cooks in his apartment inside the “Tower of David” skyscraper. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Adriana Gutierrez and her son Carlos Adrian watch TV as they sit on their bed in their 24th floor apartment inside the “Tower of David” skyscraper in Caracas. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Thais Ruiz, 36, talks on the telephone and drinks coffee as she sits under a crack in the roof of her living room on the 27th floor. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Children stand along the corridors at the “Tower of David” skyscraper. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Men sit and look down at a basketball court inside the “Tower of David” skyscraper in Caracas. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Genesis opens a balcony door in an apartment inside the “Tower of David” skyscraper in Caracas. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: People walk along a corridor on the 10th floor of the “Tower of David” skyscraper in Caracas. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Reyes smokes a cigar outside his shop inside the “Tower of David” skyscraper. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Boys play basketball in a garage at the “Tower of David” skyscraper in Caracas. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Children play in the lobby of the “Tower of David” skyscraper in Caracas. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: A skyscraper known as the “Tower of David” is seen in Caracas. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Clothes hang to dry at the top of the “Tower of David” skyscraper in Caracas. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: Jose Aular poses next to a portrait of Venezuela’s late President Hugo Chavez in his apartment inside the “Tower of David” skyscraper in Caracas. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

: A skyscraper known as the “Tower of David” is seen in Caracas, Venezuela. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

Residents were going to new homes in the town of Cua, south of Caracas, under the state’s Great Housing Mission project–a flagship policy of late socialist leader Hugo Chavez.

Nicknamed after its developer, the financier and horse-breeder David Brillembourg, the Tower of David was viewed by many Caracas residents as a focus for crime gangs and a symbol of property “invasions” encouraged in the Chavez era.

Residents, though, said the building became a refuge from the city’s crime-ridden ‘barrios’ and had turned into something of a model commune.

Inside there was evidence of hyper-organization everywhere: corridors were polished daily; squatters who had first arrived in tents then partitioned spaces into well-kept apartments; work schedules, rules and admonitions plastered the walls. — Andrew Cawthorne, Tribune

A portion of this gallery was initially published in April 2014.

Evicted after a life lived in Venezuela’s “High Rise Slum”

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