A cab driver said today that the crazy Kyiv center construction ideas originated from the city's new arrivals, for whom Kyiv is limited to Podil and Pechersk and who'd never consider setting their lavish offices elsewhere.
Considering the amount of property acquired by our folks in London, it is perhaps logical to expect Kyiv-style high-rise buildings to replace Kensington Gardens in the near future.
Or not.
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A friend said today that the Lesya Ukrainka/Baseyna monsters shouldn't be blamed on Chernovetsky, but on his predecessor, Oleksandr Omelchenko: according to her, it takes more than two years to arrange all the legal and technical stuff for such a major construction. And she's probably right: the building that's already in use was halfway there when I was pregnant, at the end of 2005, way before Chernovetsky.
Chernovetsky, I guess, is using this argument against his opponents in the current campaign.
Go figure.
Chernovetskiy can be blamed for many things but not for what happened to the way Kyiv looks. It's partly Omelchenko, partly kyivans who liked what he did.
ReplyDeleteI have an "eyes/ears-on" experience with two 24/7 construction sites, started Nov. 2004 and Nov. 2006 respectively.
ReplyDeleteThe latter can be found right outside my window, courtesy of a construction company owned by a member of the City Council who belongs to the Chernovetsky-controlled majority.
If we take into account the land issue, we can see how Chernovetsky has perfected Omelchenko’s legacy — exponentially.
If politicians of all stripes would get their respective acts together and stop taking bribes, Kyiv could implement a zoning policy that wouldn't be detrimental to either business or public housing, but would also allow the city's architectural heritage to shine through.
ReplyDeletePrince Charles - about 20 years ago, if memory serves - came out with a savage attack on the London trend of the time to build glass-and-chrome monstrosities, obscuring the view of _real_ treasures, like St. Paul's Cathedral. He was roasted by many for having the nerve - as a royal family member - to speak out about this, but he was right!
Who will Kyiv's Prince Charles be? :-)
And, on the whole, taxi drivers - whatever their faults (psychotic driving, for example - are eminently more trustworthy than politicians!