Muscovites protest against the start of reconstruction of Pushkin Square

Local residents and activists of the Public Coalition in Defense of Moscow began to knock down concrete blocks that stand around the perimeter of the fountain and on part of the lawn near the Pushkinsky cinema, RIA Novosti reports, citing Elena Tkach, coordinator of the Public Coalition in Defense of Moscow.

According to her, the blocks were brought on Wednesday night by unknown workers to fence off the territory of the fountain for the reconstruction of the square. The activists demand that the blocks be removed and the reconstruction of the square stopped.

Recall that the Bolshaya Leningradka project provides for the construction of an underground multifunctional complex, the first floor of which will turn into a street that unites the lobbies of the Chekhovskaya, Tverskaya and Pushkinskaya metro stations into one underground space. This option was presented in the summer in the exhibition hall of the Moscow Committee for Architecture. The total area of ​​the complex will be about 90 thousand square meters. m. It should house a rollerdrome, an art gallery, an exhibition hall, a bowling alley, a billiard center, catering areas, parking for a thousand cars, shopping areas.

At the same time, the designers intend to leave the ground part of Pushkinskaya Square unchanged, except for Novopushkinsky Square, where they will plant a lawn, and instead of the usual fountain with a bowl, create a fountain with jets that go straight into the ground. The area of ​​green spaces on the square after the completion of construction work can grow by 700 square meters. m by blocking part of the movement, the designers believe.

Reconstruction may take 2.5-3 years, the investor was going to start construction work in the second half of 2010.