Glory to Tankers Square has been made private and State Property Fund of Ukraine is evicting the unique library for the undocumented skyscraper construction

15.02.2021

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Kyiv has a new lease on life , when it is possible to start construction without the necessary permits or without any protection status only at the developers’ request. The newspaper “Active Citizens” wrote about this situation at 3-5 Makarivska Street in the Shevchenkivskyi district a few days ago (read the article ”In the UNESCO protection zone near the Church of St. Cyril, developers are cutting down trees again”). The same situation has currently occurred near the Shuliavska metro station. The entire area has been seized for construction at the Monument to the Tank Liberators of Kyiv. Zabolotnyi State Scientific Architectural and Construction Library, that the only is specializes in architecture, is about to be demolished.

The construction at 50a Peremohy Avenue is being carried out by service cooperative Exxon Premier Shulyavska and the Israeli company investors . The company is building a residential complex 50 Avenue, the apartments trade is going to get started.

Foto https://www.facebook.com/saveshulyavka

The fact, that large-scale construction at the Shuliavka station involves the building demolition of the Zabolotnyi State Scientific Architectural and Construction Library, is not officially stated anywhere. But this is clearly seen in the detailed area plan, openly placed on the fence by the developer . It is possible to see the building plan, some infrastructure elements and even the trees and shrubs, but there is no library building there!

All information – from the fence. Nobody makes official statements

Here is a new Shuliavska skyscraper design that can be seen on the house sales sites.

The future of the only Ukrainian architecture and construction library

The construction preparations began a year ago. The State Property Fund of Ukraine, that currently is in charge of the publishing house facilities “Press of Ukraine”. They obliged the Zabolotnyi State Scientific Architectural and Construction Library , which is located in the enterprise building, at the address Peremohy 50, to vacate the premises by January 1, 2020. Then the Honored Architect of Ukraine and People’s Deputy from the political party Servant of the People”Anna Bondar wrote on her Facebook page: The State Publishing House ”Press of Ukraine” refuses to extend the library lease agreement for 2020. This might happen due to the intentions of the detailed territory plan, which involves the residential complex construction near the library or perhaps the state enterprise negligence.

On December 27, 2019 after Bondar’s intervention, on the Internet appeared a message that the lease agreement would be extended at least for a month while an alternative premise was being sought for the library with all the necessary conditions. However, on January 8, the library received a letter with the statement from the Regional Branch of the State Property Fund of Ukraine in Kyiv on the lease agreement termination № 7023 dated 31.12.2014 in connection with the validity expiration.

The unique library greatly hinders developers

In the end, the library was allowed to stay under pressure for another year in this premise. By the way, there are stored a valuable engravings collection, albums, postcards and plans, a collection of old prints and rare books of the XVI-XIX centuries on construction, architecture and art, including the oldest architecture S. Serlio “Il primo libro d’architettura” book (1551), a valuable architecture edition A. Palladio “I Quattro libri dell architettura” (1571), a rare copy of art fortifications (one of the three surviving in the world) “Freitag A. Arcitectura militaris nova et aucta ober teme bermehrte fortification” (1631), a rare construction art edition of W. Scamozzi “Klärliche Beschreibung Der fünff Säulen-Ordnungen, und der gantzen Bau -Kunst »(1678), unique Piranesi engravings, book memorabilia (11.6 thousand copies).

Currently, there is a new attempt to save the scientific treasure of 422 thousand copies. In December 2020, due to its infamous reconstruction, well-known architects, scientists and cultural figures began collecting signatures under the public letter in the institution defense, which, as it turned out, had been evicted from its Hostynnyi Dvir premise in 2013. Politicians promised to keep a balance for the library but never did it.

According to the legislation of Ukraine, it is forbidden to move the libraries to premises that are not adapted to this. Therefore, in 2013 the building at Peremohy 50 Avenue was specially reconstructed for the technological library needs. In terms of architecture and design, after the reconstruction the building fully meets the modern library requirements and the socio-cultural users’ needs. During the building reconstruction , the necessary technical systems were provided, including climate control, air conditioning and ventilation systems that provide temperature and humidity regime (constant temperature 18ºC, humidity 45-55%) in specially designed bookstores.

There were also premises used for comfortable library users work such as reading rooms, hall of classical and electronic catalogs, user registration area, exhibition hall, as well as premises for library staff (including server rooms, other technical rooms).

We managed to organize modern library space. The library implements joint projects with well-known Ukrainian organizations and educational institutions, including WikiMedia, CANactions, Urban Forms Center, Representation of the Foundation. Heinrich Böll, The International Molinological Society, The Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture (KNUCA) , National Aviation University ( NAU). According to the open letter to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi, the library cooperates with international partners in the architecture field from Spain, France, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Italy.

Building

The first attempts to destroy the library at the end of 2019 coincided with the appearance of a green metal fence 100 meters from the entrance to the library right in the middle of the “Glory to Tankers” park, which fenced off a plot of about 0.3 hectares. Without any publicity, perennial chestnuts were cut down and eaten, and preparatory work began to fill the foundation.

Foto https://www.facebook.com/saveshulyavka/posts/103762911304867

According to the State Land Cadastre on the ownership and property land rights , the park part became private property in June 2014. The purpose of the green zone was changed to 1.11.6. – other commercial activity . Four years after part of the park became private property, the Shulyavka Limited Liability Company owner (hereinafter referred to as Shuliavka LLC), transferred the right to build the site to the Exxon Premier “Shuliavska” service cooperative. At the same time, there was no purpose change to “residential / commercial construction”.

Foto https://www.facebook.com/saveshulyavka

According to the State Construction Inspectorate of Ukraine, the construction contractor is public joint-stock company “Agrobudmekhanizatsiya”. In April 2018, the inspectorate registered the original owner site notification – LLC “Shuliavska” LLC about the beginning of work preparation of a shopping and office complex fast food restaurant and park construction . But on March 26, 2020, the Department for State Architectural and Construction Control of Kyiv abolished the right to start preparatory work.

It turned out that the developer was trying to start construction and had already dug up the whole “Glory to the tankers” park, without any approved project!

Currently, while the developer is preparing to sell apartments in a house without any permission for that , Kyiv activists are about to go to court, where they will appeal against the construction permit in the “Glory to tankers”park.

Iryna Kovalchuk, Member of the Public Council at the Dniprovska District State Administration of Kyiv