12:13, 7 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 7, ARMENPRESS. The Youth Palace building in downtown Yerevan which was once one of the most iconic landmarks of the Armenian capital ever since it was built in the 1970s until its demolishment in 2006 will be brought back to life.

A project by Aprelu Yerkir Party and Artur Tarkhanyan Center called Public Initiative for Development of Yerevan, supported by Ruben Vardanyan Foundation, seeks to rebuild the Youth Palace building resembling a giant corncob (hence its nickname Kukuruznik in Russian) in the very same location overlooking Teryan Street, with the same design, but with modern solutions.

Aprelu Yerkir President Mane Tandilyan said that their project will also feature many other major programs. She attached importance to giving back the iconic building back to the city. 

Architect Anahit Tarkhanyan, whose father was one of the architects of the original Youth Palace building – said that the private company who had acquired the building and subsequently demolished it committed multiple violations of the law. The company had signed a contract assuming an obligation to invest five million dollars within three years, something it failed to do. Moreover, the building was demolished based on falsified documents, Tarkhanyan said, expressing hope that law enforcement agencies will eventually prosecute those guilty.

The project is still in a preliminary phase and experts are now working on the future concept of the building.

In a best case scenario the building will be completed in two years, and another two years will be needed for interior works.