[See: more details on the reconstruction of the buildings of the former gas plant
and landscaping].
Archi.ru:
What importance does your company attach to the Arma project?
Tatiana Makhina:
- Central - both in terms of geolocation: the complex is located in the center, next to the Garden Ring, and in terms of area - after all, 120,000 m2… And also in terms of the amount of effort we put into this object. We took it very seriously to ensure that the territory of the former gas plant, while retaining its historical flavor, becomes comfortable and modern at the same time. We are pleased with the choice of architects, AM "Sergey Kiselev & Partners" who helped us to comprehensively comprehend this territory. The significance of this project for us is colossal. For us, this is a landmark, image project and we hope it will be profitable too.
And if in chronology: your site now shows eight or nine projects for the renovation of industrial zones. What is “Armagh” among them: first, last, in the middle?
- “Arma” appeared in the company's portfolio a long time ago, in 2003. Many steps had to be taken before the site was consolidated. Now 7.5 hectares are privately owned, and about 2 hectares are Moscow land under the buildings belonging to "Arma". Therefore, in general, we can talk about a plot of about 10 hectares near the Kurskaya metro station. Nearby are other significant for Moscow objects: ARTPLAY on Yauza, Winzavod, Razumovsky's estate, which is occupied by the Ministry of Sports. The site is located in an active historical environment, and at the same time, everything here is very successful with transport accessibility.
We spent a lot of time figuring out what to do with this site. Because what happened today is, of course, a compromise between what was allowed to be done and what could be of interest to the developer. Today, there is no shortage of tenants on the site, which demonstrates the success of the project from a commercial point of view. On the other hand, we see a large number of people who come for a walk, to be on the territory; leaving the Kurskaya metro station, people do not just pass by, as before, along Nizhniy Susalny lane, but enter the territory, go to a cafe.
Nizhny Susalny lane is an urban area, it does not belong to "Arma". When did you get the idea of its improvement?
- We started working with AM SKiP in 2011, it was five years ago in the spring. Even then, it was clear that it would be necessary to improve not only the inner territory of the "Arma" plant, but also - necessarily - Nizhny Susalny Lane, because two buildings, building 1 and building 2, had to meet the main flow of visitors coming from the metro. Reconstruction of Nizhny Susalny lane was originally intended, in 2011, when the task was set for a comprehensive renovation of the territory.
But the working project for the renovation of Nizhny Susalny lane was developed by AM Sergey Kiselev & Partners at the beginning of 2015 and implemented in 2015. So we managed to present it before the City Day, before September 1. Then the prefect of the Central District Viktor Semyonovich Fuer came to us and was delighted in his own way, he said: "If you need any help from the prefecture, please contact us, I will help you in everything."
How consistently has the concept developed and how much what has happened now corresponds to the original idea?
- Igor Shvartsman and his colleagues, Alexei Medvedev and Vladimir Labutin, consistently adhered to the concept of "nothing more". In particular, we donated a red and white paint that appeared in the thirties of the 20th century and accentuated the details of the facades. She, of course, gave the buildings some fun, but after some rather lively discussions, we obeyed the recommendations of SK&P and removed the paint in order to maintain the industrial rigor of all buildings. The buildings of the former factory now look somewhat brutal and harsh, but we like this architecture more, it reflects the original idea that was laid down during the construction.
We found mutual understanding with architects that streets and small forms of landscaping, lanterns or benches, should also look restrained, and we carefully avoided anything deliberate. Hopefully, we have kept the entire territory in the historical style, as much as it was reasonable and possible. Choosing this or that idea for implementation, the developer is always in the millstone of beauty and profitability. Each time we approve of this or that approach to the renovation of the territory or facades, we had to look from two sides. I believe that the concept discussed and adopted in 2011-2012 was implemented by us quite accurately.
To what extent did the architects of AM "Sergey Kiselev & Partners" participate in the renovation of all buildings? Equally or somehow, has this participation been eroded?
- All the architectural work on "Arma" was in one hands, we did not apply to another bureau. If we made some modifications, internal or at the construction stage, at the stage of direct implementation, then, most likely, these modifications were of a practical nature and were dictated by such considerations as profitability, convenience, comfort and tenants' requirements. We can say that only AM "Sergey Kiselev & Partners" was responsible for the appearance, architecture, beauty. If any deviations were made during the implementation, they were caused by the needs of the tenants, the needs of our time. We tried to deviate not much and in what is not outwardly visible, but rather affects future use: entrances, additional opening of windows and doors for the purposes of future use by our tenants and residents.
Do you consider the project finished, or will it develop further?
- Will definitely develop. To date, we have affected by renovation only half of the territory that I told you about, about 5-5.5 hectares, because the rest - the left side of the central entrance - has an uneven border with the urban areas occupied by Mosgaz. Mosgaz is a 100% city-owned enterprise, and it solves many other tasks besides renovating its own territory, so we have not yet reached a compromise with Moscow regarding the comprehensive renovation of the left side of our Arma plant and the territory of Mosgaz. We regularly, since 2005, have been appealing to the Property Department, to the Mayor of Moscow with a request to give an opportunity to buy out 9,000 sq.2 Mosgaz buildings, dilapidated enough, built in 1911, workshop buildings in order to demolish them and create in that place something modern, reflecting the style of the gas plant. But so far, the rehabilitation of the left side of the site is closely related to the decision-making by the Moscow government, and at the moment there is no movement. But we very much hope that this issue will be resolved soon and we will be able to tackle the left side of the site, in fact, another half of the territory.
What will appear in the northern part: offices or housing?
- No offices, no housing. We are discussing with the city a public function with a leisure cultural center. Historically, “Armu” and the surrounding areas are inhabited not only by office tenants, but by creative companies, workshops, dance studios, galleries, showrooms of clothing and furniture manufacturers; these are the tenants who come to us and are interested in our site. The public and leisure cultural designation of the future squares permitted for the center of Moscow today does not bother us.
By the way, about creative people. How many original tenants are left and gone?
- Tenants were renewed by about 95%. Firstly, there was a lot of construction equipment and debris on the site for a very long time. Not everyone survived the reconstruction period, which lasted one and a half to two years, and they naturally changed, that is, the old ones left before the start of these works, and new ones arrived after their completion; there was a natural rotation. Nevertheless, we still have the Gazgolder club - a historical tenant, a club ground with its own cafe and bar. Sports studios came to us. Prior to that, engineering at "Arma" was not foreseen in order to have good quality fitness halls, sports, dance studios. Now we are able to accept such tenants. A lot of fresh cafes and restaurants have appeared: more than six are now open and they will continue to open. We have new decorators' studios, furniture studios and many showrooms. Although they are different, these are showrooms for clothing and design, perfumes and accessories, but they appear gradually.
What class is your office space?
- All the interior decoration we have corresponds to class A, but since we are located behind the Garden Ring, the class is assessed as B +. We completely replaced the equipment with the one corresponding to class A, replaced the internal networks, reconstructed the boiler house, and built two substations with a capacity of 8 MW. Windows and roofs have been replaced in the buildings, and redevelopments have been made. Now 80-90% of the areas that have been renovated are leased.
In addition to Mosgaz, you have one more neighbor, on the right is the Kursk railway station. It seems that now the plans for its reconstruction may include the demolition of several of your buildings. This is true?
- As far as we are now informed, it is planned not only the reconstruction of the Kursk railway station, but also the placement of the platform of the high-speed highway Moscow-Kazan. However, the territory of "Arma" is our property, and two buildings on Nizhny Susalny lane (buildings 1 and 2) have the status of monuments, they cannot be demolished, they are more than a hundred years old. In principle, all buildings on the territory of "Arma" belong to the ensemble of the former gas plant and should be preserved. Today this territory is inviolable.
