The roof will go up

The city authorities will complete the construction of five-story buildings without displacing residents

Residents of Moscow five-story buildings who were not included in the city program for the demolition of dilapidated housing stock, it seems, can no longer count on moving to new houses.

Having built up the entire city with commercial housing, the city authorities decided not only to save on major renovations of old houses, but also to make a profit from it. As Sergei Rozanov, first deputy head of the city hall's housing and communal services department, said yesterday, major repairs of dilapidated housing will henceforth be carried out without evicting residents. Moreover, it is planned to add several more floors to the five-story building.

“Almost the entire five-story building, I mean the non-destructible series, allows you to add two or three more floors without additional strengthening of the foundation. Such a superstructure without evicting residents allows us to receive an additional investment component, as well as create the necessary reserve of housing stock for the wave resettlement of residents of demolished houses,” explained Mr. Rozanov.

According to the official, the transition to the practice of major repairs without evicting residents was not due to a good life. Today the city needs renovation of 28 million square meters. meters of housing, and every year another 1 million square meters fall into disrepair. meters. The city is only able to renovate about 500 thousand square meters. meters per year. “That is, despite all efforts, we have an annual increase,” said Mr. Rozanov, noting that it is simply unprofitable to repair most of such housing.

“There are 18.5 million square meters of five-story buildings in Moscow. If residents can be resettled, then it is easier to demolish such houses and rebuild them than to repair them,” said a city hall official, noting that the city, of course, does not have enough money to resettle all the “khrushchevs.” According to him, 8.5 million sq. meters account for five-story buildings of unbearable series - the main forces of public utilities will be directed to their reconstruction.

In accordance with the Moscow government program, from 2005 to 2007 it is planned to renovate more than one and a half million square meters of housing. In old houses, it is planned to completely replace engineering communications - sewerage, heating, water supply, electrical networks. Double-glazed windows will be installed, loggias will be glazed, doors, floors, and plumbing will be replaced. The Moscow authorities intend to clad the facades of houses with modern heat-insulating materials. Garbage chutes and elevators will be installed.

According to Mr. Rozanov, when carrying out repairs without moving out, the most difficult task for the contractor is to “enter” the house, since when replacing risers and other work, the consent of all residents of the house, without exception, is required. “Often the whole work is slowed down because of one or two disagreements,” the official noted, adding, however, that such cases are quite rare. According to him, residents are usually glad to have the opportunity to make repairs at the expense of the city budget and are willing to put up with such temporary inconveniences as non-working sewers or walking home through the ditches of a construction site. Moreover, without renovation, houses look no less depressing.

Alexander GUDKOV