Moscow’s cultural heritage agency takes action after illegal destruction of listed building facade.
Moscow authorities canceled all previously issued permits for demolition or partial dismantling of structures in areas containing historic buildings, in response to the illegal demolition of the Kolbe house on Bolshaya Yakimanka Ulitsa by Capital Group developers.
Moskomnaslediye, the city department responsible for protecting cultural heritage, said in a statement late last week: “All approvals, permits, approved projects, including the complete or partial dismantling of any buildings — including those having and not having any historical-cultural status — in combined protected zones or zones of strict construction regulation by the city of Moscow are now considered null and void without re-approval of the department of cultural heritage.”
The city committee cited decrees from December 1995 and December 2004 as the legal basis for its decision.
“The developer of the project [on Yakimanka], Capital Group, knew about these rules, since the question of removing the building was submitted to the commission March 15, 2005, after which the company’s demolition request was denied. Letters allegedly received from some former employees of Moskomnaslediye authorizing the demolition of these buildings have no legal force,” the agency said.
Statements by the developer that the facade wall of the building fell on its own due to its natural lack of structural integrity do not hold water, Moskomnaslediye said.
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