AZG Armenian Daily #095, 26/05/2005

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LARGE-SCALE URBAN CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS ARE BEING CARRIED OUT IN YEREVAN

Monuments to Be Removed

The structure of the urban construction council was enlarged, including
NGOs, so that the latter can participate in taking decisions or prevent
implementation of those they struggled against for years. Samvel Danielian,
chief architect of Yerevan, said about this.

They have already specified the main layout of the Main Avenue. The
architects had to decide all the details concerning the height and the
stories of the building that are envisaged to be built in the circle of
Amirian, Buzandi and Zakian Streets, so that the new buildings do not hinder
the main view of the edifices from the square.

It’s still hard to predict anything about the fate of the historical
monuments that are situated in the area of the Main Avenue. These edifices
are being registered, calculated and evaluated. Separate documents are being
composed for each building. Some of them will remain on their spots, while
others will be removed to another place.

At the same time, the architects have made a suggestion to gather all the
historical edifices in one place. These buildings will represent various
layers of Yerevan’s historical architecture. Hopefully, this plan will be
implemented in the best way. As only mechanical restoration of these
edifices will deprive them of their true value. To avert such tragedy, it
was decided to leave the buildings of high value on their spots, without
removing them.

Besides the Main and the Northern Avenues there are many areas due to
construction in Yerevan, such as Kond, Kozern, the neighboring area of
Grigor Lousavorcih Avenue and the notorious Firdousi Street. The architects
have elaborated the layouts of all these territories. Kond is on the first
place and it is not excluded that the architects’ board will announce an
additional competition for that district not to damage its historical
coloring.

By Karine Danielian