Our family records indicate that in 1885 the land was given as dowry from T. Tsaferis to Aggelis Agapios, his daughter’s husband. Aggelis passed away a few years later. Another contract from 1893 mentions a parcel of 1435 sqm at Pinakota neighborhood, Neapolis today, that belonged to A. Agapios’ four children and their uncle J. Tsaferis who was a large land owner of the area. Katherine, J Tsaferis’ wife after his death decided to sell the land. In 1917 the land was divided into parcels ready to be sold to potential homeowners. Aspa was one of those.

The ground floor was built in 1927 and initially there was a small apartment where today is “This is the beginning”. Next to it, most space, was occupied by grandfather’s shop. He was a carpenter who came to Athens from a greek island as several other articulated technicians who moved from the countryside to the capital looking for a better future. There were two rooms on the top usually occupied by students, a common practice for most homeowners of Neapolis. The neighborhood was always full of students due to the proximity to the university.

Panagi Benaki was a narrow dirt and I have been told many stories about Aspa’s chickens walking up and down the narrow street while Aspa would seat tight ready to chase whichever would try to escape.

In 1934 the two rooms were replaced by two apartments. The family continued living in the smaller apartment of the ground floor until the early 50s as the rent was more valuable than the extra space. In the early 50s the shop was also renovated and became an apartment. George, Aspa’s husband, had lost his arm in a car accident a few years earlier.

Lastly in 1963 the top floor of the building was completed. Aspa in Athens was the tallest building in the neighborhood. From the rooftop one could see the traffic and the movie theaters in Leoforos Alexandras.

Aspa was the sole owner of the land and the building until her death in 1978 despite the fact the building was financed primarily by the husband and the sons.