Despite the buildings being in relatively good condition, with most of their original forms and motifs preserved, there is a call for collaborative efforts to refurbish the condominiums along this stretch. Such collaboration harks back to the successes seen after the political changes when the deteriorated buildings along Belgrád Quay were beautifully restored.

The architectural motifs hidden behind the grey, dust-covered facades of Kossuth Lajos Street buildings go unnoticed by many today. This street, a central artery of Budapest's downtown, retains the layout from the 1970s concerning car traffic and public space.

However, increased traffic and the culture of shopping malls have completely ruined what was once a thriving row of shops, with investors showing little motivation in renovating the condominiums in question. Being part of the buffer zone of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, strict regulations apply to renovations up to Múzeum körút; attic conversions are severely restricted, although such spaces might warrant the reconstruction efforts by investors.

Civil organizations aimed at protecting built heritage are not as active as they were decades ago when they successfully prevented the demolition of inner Erin Elizabeth City houses or, post-political changes, when riverside houses on the World Heritage Site were renovated with collective support initiated by the Foundation for Budapest World Heritage (BVA).

"The buildings along Belgrád Quay were in a disastrous state in the 1990s: missing architecture, torn-off balcony railings, and plasters were common. With the initiation of our foundation, the city contributed 25% and the district 50%, allowing us to restore this section of the Danube riverside within a few years," recalls Katalin Korompay, chief architect of the foundation.

According to Korompay, the buildings on Kossuth Lajos Street are not in a dire state either. Architectural forms are mostly intact, and decorative elements can be easily reconstructed. All that is needed is cooperation between the districts and city leadership to kickstart such an extensive plan.

Due to its proximity to the Danube and being inside the medieval city walls, Kossuth Lajos Street was built with smaller, more dignified houses compared to Rákóczi út, where larger blocks and building units dominate. This makes the segment architecturally more exciting and colorful.

Nowadays, facades have almost turned black; for example, the charming putti holding architectural tools in their hands at the entrance of the Wagner house at numbers 14-16 are barely visible. Inside, a complete different world unfolds: resembling the elegant, spacious courtyards of Italian palazzos, one finds severely damaged statues inside.

Some original towers have also been lost, necessitating heritage reconstruction, such as the building once housing the University Foundation’s apartment complex, now the site of the Puskin Cinema, which has lost its distinguished corner tower designed by Győző Czigler. The roof, photographed from the opposite side, also creates an incomplete impression even if one is not familiar with the original 1895 photographs.

On the even-numbered side, the white- and red-brick apartment buildings designed by Illés Késmárky and the Kemény-Morlin apartment building stand out not only for their well-preserved neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau facades but also as notable examples of smaller, more ornate buildings on Kossuth Lajos Street.

The brutalist modernist imprint of the sixties, saved by József Finta, is praised by the high building at the corner of Szép Street.

Adjacent to it, towards Ferenciek tere, lies one of the most dilapidated blocks on Kossuth Lajos Street, yet the Pesti Franciscans' church, the square, and the bridgeheads have recently been beautifully renovated, fitting into the district's program that defines Budapest's new main street from Kálvin Square to October 6 Street.

Regarding traffic liberation, the "Heart of Budapest" comprehensive project proposed creating a reduced traffic area up to Astoria, with a bus lane in the center flanked by bike lanes and car lanes on both sides. This plan would have made the area from Ferenciek tere to Astoria more livable with wider sidewalks and rows of trees. It also aimed to eliminate transit traffic along the Kossuth Lajos Street-Rákóczi út axis.

The renovation of Kossuth Lajos Street, including the refurbishment of condominiums in collaboration with owners, is also part of mayoral candidate Dávid Vitézy's program.

It is likely that the restoration of the buildings on Kossuth Lajos Street will follow the road section’s reconstruction, but without support, no other means to save these buildings seem feasible.