Activists plan to oppose construction of office and residential center in …
Kyiv, November 26 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The public in Kyiv demands to ban the construction of an office and residential center on a land plot located at 3-5, Desiatynny Lane, which is part of the buffer zone of the Sofia Kyivska national reserve.
“Kyiv was founded in this place, and this is the heart of our city. We have an illegal construction site downtown Kyiv, a large shameful building, and no one reacts,” a lawyer specialized in illegal buildings Maryna Solovyova said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Tuesday.
She said that the house of Archpriest of St. Andrew’s Church Pavlo Pidvysotsky and the foundation of the 10th century castle of Grand Prince of Kyiv Vladimir the Great were situated.
The land plot was transferred to Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv patriarchate to restore the existing building under a decision of Kyiv City Council. However, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church signed and investment agreement with Intergal-Bud LLC and allowed dismantling the historic landmark to build an office and residential center.
Solovyova said that an ad hoc commission to study the situation was created at the Kyiv City Council. The commission supports the demand of the public to stop the said construction project. At the latest session of the city council the issue of the cancelation of the leasing agreement for the land plot was not put up on the agenda.
According to the project, it is planned to build a nine-storey modern building.
Deputy Head of Ukrainian Society for Monument Protection Mykola Parkhomenko said that if the realization of the construction project in Desiatynny Lane continues, this will be a precedent for other constructors, as around 50 land plots has been allocated in the buffer zone of the Sofia Kyivska national reserve for commercial construction projects.
Famous Ukrainian painter Arsen Savadov said that artists will try not to allow the continuation of the construction of the building.
Activists believe that after the cancelation of the leasing agreement, the public discussion should be held and the fate of the constructed facility should be settled.