RC#60: Still waters run

published in Eastern Economist #448, September 3, 2002

On Thursday last, Aug. 29, a controversy over building sites was raised again with the city’s chief architect, Serhiy Babushkin. Despite his impressive credentials, Mr. Babushkin is not a man known for his subtlety and tact.

            Towards the end of May, a talk show on Studio 1+1 focused on the reconstruction of Maidan Nezalezhnosti. Mr. Babushkin and the Maidan architect, Oleksandr Komarovskiy, presented their distinct viewpoint on the merits of the results [see RC#46]. Their viewpoint differed radically from that of almost all the other professional guests on the program – and the studio audience.

            It also differs radically from the opinion of almost any resident of Kyiv you might care to ask.

            Another project hit the headlines July 25, when Larysa Skoryk, a one-time minister of culture, organized a protest in front of City Hall. The protesters claimed that an underground multi-storied parking lot and fitness-center were being built too close to historic St. Sofia, at provulok Rylskoho 5.

            Now St. Sofia really is a very special place. It was built in the 11th century, in imitation of Constantinople’s Great Sofia. In modern-day Istanbul, the Hagia Sofia is a Muslim sacred place. So Kyiv’s St. Sofia remains a unique reflection of Byzantine Christian glory.

            The church itself is part of a monastery complex and includes many golden-domed towers, the tallest of which is the bellfry on Sofiïvska Ploshcha. Inside the church itself are wonderful frescoes, mosaics and hand-painted walls, pillars and naves.

            The protesters claimed that new construction was causing water to accumulate underneath St. Sofia. They said that the belfry was beginning to tilt and cracks had appeared in several walls.

            On vacation in Foros in Crimea when he heard of the demonstration, President Kuchma gave instructions to halt construction around the cathedral and called for a review of the situation. “Any construction around historical sites and monuments needs to have government approval,” he said.

            Projects around Sofiïvska Ploshcha include a nearly-finished Inter-Continental Hotel across the square and an underground parking lot and fitness center connected to Sofiïvska Brama, a renovated luxury apartment complex right next to Sofia’s walls.

            On July 29, the head of the State Construction Office, Valeriy Cherep, said his office would do its best to resolve the controversy.

            At a meeting with Vice Premier Volodymyr Semynozhenko, a decision was taken Aug. 9 to suspend construction of the fitness center. At the same time, the Kyiv Prosecutor’s Office launched a criminal case against officials at the Kyiv Administration for allowing anyone to build near the historic site, and against the builder “for destroying historical and cultural monuments.” Among those accused of ruining Sofia is the Office of the Chief Architect of Kyiv.

            Of course, August is holiday month in Ukraine, so nothing much happened for nearly three weeks.

            On Aug. 29, the Chief Architect himself reacted.

            “I’m confident that building a fitness center under the walls of St. Sofia has not damaged the historical site,” Mr. Babushkin told reporters. “The pit was dug more than a year ago and pylons were put into the ground to shore up the walls.”

            The city’s architect says it’s more likely that the creaking water and sewage systems that were laid in the cathedral complex some 50 year ago are the root of any damage. They’ve been seeping into the soil under Sofia’s foundations. For good measure, Mr. Babushkin added, “They’re also reconstructing the public toilets without a permit and they’ve already damaged a gas line.”

            “We did all the necessary studies before starting,” says the center’s architect, Valeriy Rubshtein. “If the owner decides to cancel the fitness center, that’s his decision. It’s his money.”

            What’s more, according to Mr. Babushkin, the builder transferred Hr 318,000 to the monastery to restore its ramparts and another Hr 50,000 as a ‘charitable donation’.

            But he was careful to put any blame squarely with DerzhBud, the state construction corporation. “This project was reviewed two times at DerzhBud meetings and it was approved as a full-scale reconstruction,” he said. “They’re the ones who signed the go-ahead to build right near the monastery’s ramparts.”

            Of course, DerzhBud doesn’t accept any blame for the situation, either. According to Vasyl Prysiazhniuk, its deputy director, the special commission found that construction went ahead in violation of city building codes. There was no permit for a fitness center with swimming pool, nor was there permission from City Council to use the land.

            I decided to ask a Western developer about all these issues.

            “Groundwaters have plagued downtown Kyiv for decades,” he says. “This is the main reason why so many projects along Yaroslaviv Val and other streets, up to and including Volodymyrska, have ongoing problems. One city architect told us that the Lybid River, which used to run through the area, was blocked off during Soviet times and the resulting underground waters are causing havoc with some streets and buildings.”

            In fact, this summer, Antonovycha and Velyka Vasylkivska streets [Gorkoho and Chervonoarmiyska] were torn up to create new channels for the ancient river to flow into.

            “Surely, as the city’s architect, Mr. Babushkin should be aware of the situation,” says the developer. “But officials at City Hall seem more concerned with making money and with the outward appearance of the main streets, than with problems underground. Until a major disaster occurs, no one is likely address them.”

            “What’s dangerous is leaving things as they are,” says Mr. Babushkin. “These [fitness center] people can go ahead and build. I give my word. A few years ago, there were only dogs and bums around here. Instead of lawsuits, somebody ought to give these folks a medal. Why not jail those who don’t do anything? Why make a federal case?”

            As to dogs and bums, the airlines and fancy jewellers who had their offices in the original building on Rylskoho 5 might have a different point of view. Like I said, this guy ain’t subtle. •