All Armenia Fund Begins Reconstruction of Shushi
2010/03/25 | 10:46

Nagorno Karabakh society

With its recently initiated reconstruction of the Garegin Nzhdeh and
Alec Manoogian Streets, Shushi’s two main thoroughfares, the Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund has begun to restore the city’s economic and social
infrastructures. The street-revitalization project is being realized
through contributions made by the Russian-Armenian community during
Telethon 2009.

Following the construction of sewage, water-delivery, and drainage
systems, the streets and sidewalks (about 950 meters) will be paved
and furbish, and light posts will be installed throughout. The project
will be completed with the installation of 1.5-meter-wide lawns
separating the streets from the sidewalks.

`Prior to the launch of this project, the people of Shushi no longer
believed that things would turn to the better in their city,’ said
Grigori Avanesyan, director of the Shushi Administration’s Urban
Development and Architecture Department.

`These streets in particular had long fallen into disrepair,’
Avanesyan continued. `There is a great deal of bustle in this part of
town. Residents frequently use the telephone station and the bank or
visit the cultural center, whereas up till now the streets remained in
a terrible state.’

The Alec Manoogian Street is also home to the fire station and the
much-visited, 1847-built Hovhannes Mkrtich Church, better known as the
Green Church because of the color of its dome.

`This year our main goal is to implement a number of projects aimed at
helping Shushi stand on its feet,’ said Ara Vardanyan, executive
director of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund. `I hope that our
revitalization efforts will go a long way in strengthening Shushi
residents’ bond with their city, and not be limited to the Fund
initiatives only.’