We will build a new "children's world"

Construction work, which began a few days ago in the building of the Detach Mir department store on Lubyanskaya Square in Moscow, is carried out in the absence of a full set of design documentation agreed by the heritage protection authorities. This is stated in the statement of the public movement "Archnadzor". "These works associated with the irreversible destruction of the elements of the historical building and threatening its safety as a whole are carried out in a situation of extreme uncertainty: the Moscow cultural heritage department was issued permission for them in the absence of a complete set of design documentation, agreed by the heritage protection authorities," the statement said.

In December 2010, Marat Khusnullin, deputy mayor of Moscow for urban planning and construction, announced the intention of the capital’s cultural heritage department to support the project of the extended protection of the Children's World building prepared by specialists with the inclusion of historically and artistic valuable elements of its interiors. In September 2011, the Moscow prosecutor’s office established that the order of the Moscow Government, which serves as the basis for these works, prescribes reconstruction and regeneration at the cultural heritage object, which is not provided for by federal law.

The city’s prosecutor’s office appealed to the Moscow government with a proposal to bring administrative documents about the “children's world” in line with the law, which has not yet been done, the Archnadzor notes.

“Work on the dismantling of the“ children's world ”designs, begun in December 2011, can ultimately lead to the loss of a genuine building and replacing it with a“ newspaper. ”The implementation of the“ restoration ”project, approved in 2005 by the Luzhkovsky government, will indicate the actual refusal of the city authorities of the new urban planning policy,” the statement said.

Arkhnadzor called for the Moscow government to stop all work in the Children's World building and instruct the Moscow Department of Cultural Heritage to urgently consider the issue of the object of the protection of this building and make a decision, "excluding the loss of the historical and cultural value of the monument."

The shareholders of the AFK System spoke about the reconstruction of the Children's World since 1995, when the company has gained control over the department store. It was reported that there is no parking building, the foundation, a dilapidated appearance, is weakened. At the same time, different options were considered - from a phased reconstruction to dismantling the entire building.

In 2006, the building of the department store received the official status of the architectural monument, and it was not possible to begin overhaul due to long coordinations, since the "Children's World" is located next to the FSB building, where there are secret underground utilities.