The only unique historical object may disappear in the capital's center
Almost every week, there seems to be some kind of "architectural" scandal erupting in Kyiv. This occurred again last week when a developer completely dismantled the internal ceilings of the so-called bread shop building located at 27 Yaroslaviv Val Street. Heritage activists called the police and attempted to halt the work. Thanks to the efforts of concerned citizens, the rampage was stopped. However, probably only for a short time.
“Kashtan NEWS” investigated what is happening around this historical building.
History
The building of titular advisor Oleksandr Kobylian'sky at 27 Yaroslaviv Val Street was constructed in 1863 in the late classical style. The second floor was residential, while the first housed a bread shop, which later gave the building its name.
1 The building has been designated as a local architectural monument since Soviet times, as evidenced by the corresponding plaque on the facade of the structure.
For a long time, the estate stood abandoned until in 2021, a banner was placed on the wall of the building announcing the commencement of emergency restoration work. In the internal courtyard, "restorers" removed the windows and left the doors open. Eventually, homeless individuals took up residence there. Consequently, in January 2024, activists manually sealed off the entrance to the monument.
No violations found
It's likely that the old estate wouldn't have entered the public discourse had a construction scandal not erupted around it again: the owner, who received permission for restoration, demolished the internal ceilings.
It seemed that the relevant authority — the Department of Cultural Heritage Protection of the Kyiv City State Administration — should have immediately reacted to this outrage. However, its inspectors, who visited the building, reported no violations.
2 Documents for all occasions
But that’s not all. Another interesting fact is at play.
“The owner of the building has what is known as a defect report, which was provided to him by the previous leadership of the Department,” commented the situation around the bread shop by Dmitro Perov, co-founder of the NGO "Heritage."
According to him, this document is prepared during the inspection of a historical or architectural monument, detailing the condition of the building's structures and the feasibility of their preservation.
3 So, Perov continues, the owner has two dozen reports, which supposedly indicate that about 70 percent of the building's area is in an emergency state and unsuitable for use and preservation in its current form. Based on these reports, the workers explain, they are currently conducting "restoration." In other words — they are carrying out emergency work and dismantling the worn-out parts of the building.
4 “Thus, it turns out that only the facade of this object remains non-emergency,” concluded Perov.
In my opinion, the activist suggests, these inventory documents do not accurately reflect reality. This is because verifying, confirming, or refuting the conclusions regarding the emergency state of all internal structures of the building is currently quite complicated. And, primarily, considering that the vast majority of the building's elements have already been destroyed, and only the outer walls remain — one can see the entire internal space from the basement up to the attic.
War as a cover
As Dmitro Perov recounted, the first so-called emergency works in the ancient building began back in September 2021. They were supposed to be completed in 2022, but…
“But today the owner claims that due to the full-scale invasion of the Russians, these works were not completed in full, and so they are ongoing,” noted the interlocutor.
Perhaps this is indeed what happened. However, there is quite an interesting legal aspect to this situation.
“The term of the permit for conducting emergency works has already expired, so the works being carried out today are formally illegal,” Perov pointed out.
A case without arrest
Currently, the police have initiated two criminal proceedings regarding the conducted works. The first is under Article 356 (self-will), and the second is under Article 298 (deliberate damage or destruction of historical monuments) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Pre-trial investigations are underway in both criminal proceedings.
In this context, Dmitro Perov also pointed out another quite interesting fact: a criminal proceeding has been opened, but no arrest has been placed on the building. As a result, the criminal activity continues, and no procedural measures have been taken to stop it. Forgetfulness? Negligence? Or some sort of vested interest?
5 Natural dangers
Thus, restoration should be taking place at the old site. However, considering that the windows in the building have been dismantled and left uncovered, condensation, rain, and snow easily enter inside. Given that the building is wooden, this does not contribute to its preservation.
Therefore, it is not excluded that in a year or two, additional "defect reports" may emerge stating that the building is no longer suitable for restoration and preservation, or that the facade, attic, or courtyard parts are no longer eligible for restoration.
Then, as Perov warned, a development could occur akin to what often happens in Kyiv: the owner or developer is granted permission to preserve the facade with the addition of a certain number of floors. For instance, this occurred on Khoriv Street. There, a wooden building was also deemed unsuitable for restoration, demolished, and a new structure was erected on the stone base in a "historic" style, albeit taller than the original...
“The building at 27 Yaroslaviv Val has the status of a local architectural monument. It received this designation back in Soviet times. This building is also a model of the original development of Yaroslaviv Val Street. Many historical buildings have been preserved on this street, but they represent the late 19th to early 20th centuries. This house remains the only representative of the original development from the mid-19th century,” summarized Dmitro Perov.
Yevhen DEM'YANOV