Okhtinsky gloss

The closer September 1st comes, the more intense passions become. May students and schoolchildren forgive us, Knowledge Day has nothing to do with it in this context: on the eve of the next public hearing on the Gazprom tower project, the interests and arguments of its lobbyists and opponents clashed not in the virtual space, but on the scene. Thus, the first half of the week was marked by a scandalous confrontation between officials and the interested public right on the site of the official exposition codenamed “Long Live the Skyscraper!” that was set up for the hearing. “Three quarters of the materials exhibited here are just some kind of garbage!..” - the leader of the Okhtinskaya Bulge, Tatyana Krasavina, pronounced the verdict.

I can see everything from above - you know that
In a small room on the ground floor of the Krasnogvardeysk regional administration building, there was nowhere for an apple to fall. Activists of the “Okhta Arc”, the Movement of Civil Initiatives, the “Crescent Moon” movement, the Committee of United Actions and other opponents of the construction of the skyscraper came to the exhibition on the project of the Okhta ODC with a whole bunch of reasoned complaints.
First of all, the oppositionists demanded to show them an extract from the minutes of the meeting of the land use and development commission dated August 12, confirming the appointment of public hearings for September 1, as well as the urban planning plan of the land plot selected for the construction of the facility, and an explanatory note to the draft territory planning. As you might guess, neither the requested documents nor any reasonable explanations were obtained from the stand staff on duty in the premises.
Soon, a representative of the developer, Dmitry Kurlov, hastily called as an ambulance, arrived at the exhibition. True, his appearance did not provide any help to either ours or yours, since the young man immediately refused substantive communication with both residents and the press, sending the journalists “to the press service of the Okhta ODC” and advising them to “come to the hearings and ask questions there." However, Mr. Kurlov remained near the epicenter of events for an hour and a half and carefully monitored what was happening, climbing the steps of the stairs (there is a better view from above!) and every now and then talking with someone on his mobile phone.
Meanwhile, the caliber of discontent was growing. Under the threat of an ultimatum, opponents of the tower managed to force heavy artillery to arrive at the site. The head of the construction and investment department of the Krasnogvardeisky district administration, a member of the district commission for land use and development, Andrei Galakhov, was immediately attacked with questions - most of which the high-ranking official could not clearly answer.
In particular, commenting on the complaints about the content of the exhibition, a representative of the specialized commission stated that “the composition of the materials is not regulated by anyone.” And to the question of the leader of the Okhtinskaya Bulge about why such an item as “recoupment of the public and business center” is being discussed, but the feasibility study of the project has not been presented to the public, there was no answer at all.

Portraits in a gas interior
— Tell me, for whom does everything pay off - for Gazprom or for the city? - Tatyana Krasavina asked. “I have no doubt that everything will be fine for the gas monopolist.” Since the tax rate has been reduced, they are giving him the land for free, at cadastral value. And the city, when withdrawing from financing the project, took its four billion invested over the years of budget support for the Okhta Center in shares, that is, in paper... But how and during what time will the treasury’s expenses on “compensatory transport measures” in connection with the construction of a skyscraper? And what will be the total flow of cars, not just taxiing to the tower? Where is the forecast of social and environmental consequences?..
According to residents’ calculations, following the skyscraper and new highways, a network of oncology centers will have to be urgently created in the area...
At the end of the hardly constructive discussion, representatives of the “Defend St. Petersburg” coalition submitted individual statements listing all comments and complaints to the regional commission for land use and development.
“At the exhibition, large stands present materials from a landscape-visual analysis of the skyscraper’s influence on the historical panoramas of St. Petersburg, carried out by KGIOP. The specified materials were made on the basis of a methodology that was not approved by KGIOP and does not comply with the requirements of the law “On the boundaries of protection zones of cultural heritage objects.” The materials of this analysis were also not approved by the normative act of the KGIOP or other executive body, and therefore cannot be considered as an official examination or justification,” the text says.
At the same time, according to the authors of the statement, “neither the video “Vertical”, nor the brochure “Okhta Center”: a journey through the city of the future”, nor the booklet “Five weighty arguments for” contain information revealing the legal grounds for granting permission “(to increase the height of the building by three to four times compared to the permissible one) ... “I demand the immediate removal of materials not related to the subject of the hearings, and the completion of the exhibition with missing documents,” read the key phrase.
Of course, only very young and naive representatives of the opposition could hope that the gentlemen designers would immediately rush to fix everything, dropping the papers and checking the list. At the same time, as the officials sitting at the reception of appeals stunned the initiative citizens, their comments will also not be included in the minutes of the public hearings; the maximum you can count on is to receive a written response from the office within thirty days.
Looking ahead, let's say that the applicants categorically disagree with the algorithm imposed on them, consider it illegal and have already contacted the prosecutor's office about this.
The most radical opponents of the tower, meanwhile, clearly looked closely at the portraits and statements in support of the construction of the skyscraper by famous cultural and sports figures (Oleg Kvasha, Boris Eifman, Tatyana Bulanova, Maxim Leonidov, Galina Vishnevskaya, Tamara Moskvina and others). Some people secretly tried glossy visual propaganda for the fortress. “Shall we knock you down?!” — an unvoiced call was in the air.
— If this stand, especially at the entrance itself, causes such irritation, maybe it’s worth removing it? Why tease geese? - suggested the Novaya correspondent.
— Nothing will be dismantled! We will not tolerate hooliganism! - this time Andrei Galakhov answered confidently.

Valeria STRELNIKOVA