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“We have lost a number of buildings designed with similar scheme of Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport round complex. Others are due, if we continue the practice,” Mkrtich Minasyan, chairman of the Union of Architects of Armenia, told reporters at a meeting.

Architect Sashur Kalashyan, present at the meeting, reminded that the airport is the property of the Republic of Armenia, it has been handed over to "Armenia” International Airports” CJSC concession management, provided it would ensure the well-maintained state of the building.

“Over the past years the concessioner constructed a new building, refused from the old one, leaving it abandoned. The concessioner has made no investment for preserving the complex for these years, nor did the state due to lack of budget means,” Kalashyan noted.

She next recalled past discussions of the architects with the investors about the cost and the value of the landmark building.

“They were attentively listening to our arguments, and we expected some feedback. When we finished, their representative said they were well aware of the value of the complex. We were shocked,” the architect recalled.

Kalashyan reminded that two-three reconstruction plans exist for the restoration and modernization of the building. The investors may implement their program without demolition of the complex, yet no cooperation has been with the architects to work out a final project and preserve the building. Investors simply rejected any negotiation with architects.

As to the Ministry of Culture, Minasyan mentioned that they had submitted a list of buildings, Zvartnots round complex among them to be included in the state list of immovable historical and cultural monuments, yet they received no feedback thus far.
“In private discussions, they apparently state there is an instruction from he government not to expand the list of state –protected monuments to avoid hindering urban planning,” maintained Kalashyan.

To remind, in 2015 Yerevan Mayor’s Office approved a master plan for Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport permitting Armenia International Airports CJSC the demolition of the old round building of the airport within the reconstruction plan.