Urban long-term constructions will likely retain their unfortunate status in 2025
A scarecrow is a creature traditionally used to deter pests—such as birds. But can a multi-story unfinished building serve as a scarecrow that ruins the architecture of the capital, frightens tourists, and prompts discussions about the impotence of local authorities? Why not. The problem is that there are many such "scarecrows" in Kyiv.
Periodically, the leaders of the Kyiv City State Administration promise to take action regarding them, for instance, to ensure that owners and investors finally complete, renovate, or repair these structures. Alternatively, they warn that these buildings along with their plots may revert back to municipal ownership. They also point to the central government, claiming that its intervention is needed in this process. However, nothing happens—construction sites remain stagnant.
Today we discuss the most notorious long-term constructions that will "carry over" into the next year, 2025. Throughout 2024, these unfinished buildings have marred the appearance of Kyiv. The city's leaders have even stopped mentioning them publicly.
A scarecrow behind a screen
Isn't one of the largest administrative buildings near the "Livoberezhna" metro station, located at 2 Mytropolyta Andrei Sheptytskyi Street, a "frozen scarecrow" for half a century?! This is how long it has remained unfinished. It was planned to house the Ministry of Economy. In 2017, the long-term construction was even covered with a banner—hidden so it wouldn't frighten tourists and participants of "Eurovision 2017." The song contest took place nearby, on the premises of the International Exhibition Center.
3 “Our task is for everyone to see Kyiv as a beautiful city,” outlined the municipal government's goal that year by Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko.
Because "frozen scarecrows" are a disgrace to the whole world.
The railway station and Ice Stadium as ghosts
This list also includes the unfinished Ice Stadium for training and games of hockey players in Teremky. Construction of the sports complex began in 1978. In the early 1990s, funding completely stopped during the finishing stages. In the 2000s, the city authorities made several attempts to resume construction. A sponsor from one of the hockey clubs, JSC "Ukrsoctbuildinvest," was involved, as reported in the media. Later, the Kyiv City Council transferred the project to this company, which leased the land for 25 years. However, in 2010, the District Administrative Court annulled the Kyiv Council's decision, causing the investors to lose their rights to manage the land.
4 A massive long-term construction is a chimera that has appeared in grand projects as the "Darnytsia" railway station, covering almost 71 thousand square meters, which began construction in 2004. The concrete frame of the unfinished station also resembles a scarecrow.
5 Even "BC Bum" is an eyesore
There are also smaller-scale scarecrows. For instance, a building that was supposed to become a House of Culture in Vynogradar (27-b Hryhorii Honhadze Avenue). It was not meant to be. Kyiv residents call it… "BC Bum." The first builders arrived here in 1989, and about 65 percent of the work was completed. Then everything fell silent. Today, we only see ruins and a garbage dump. That's what a "cultural center" looks like in Kyiv.
6 The transport ring as Bassa's estate
Let's recall the "monster" that claimed a plot directly at the circular turnaround of the fast tram in Borshchahivka (20 Lesya Kurbas Avenue). It has created significant inconveniences for Kyiv residents. People were misled, claiming that reconstruction of the fast tram's terminal stop was beginning. In reality, it was intended to use 90 thousand square meters of commercial space: to house over 300 shops, recreational areas, bars and restaurants, a cinema, etc.
7 In 2016, the Main Directorate of the National Police in Kyiv opened a criminal case regarding the unauthorized construction of a shopping and entertainment center instead of the fast tram stop. Unfortunately, for a long time, the community has not heard any legal assessment regarding this "wonder" on Lesya Kurbas Avenue. Public activists report that in 2018, it was the KCSA that issued permits for construction, contrary to state building norms and the city's General Plan.
8 The customer for this shopping center is LLC "Favorit-Polis" and the municipal enterprise "Kyivpastrans." The construction investor is LLC "Spetsstroystandart," owned by Yakov Bassa, father of Denys Bassa, deputy head of the KCSA during Leonid Chernovetsky's time and one of Kyiv's lawyers, who is a business partner of businessman Vadym Stolar (by the way, well acquainted with Vitaliy Klitschko).
Promises to complete "Lviv Gateway"
There are construction scarecrows that Kyiv residents have almost stopped paying attention to. For example, the unfinished building of the Kyiv National University of Theatre, Cinema and Television named after Ivan Karpenko-Karyi. The educational building began construction half a century ago. According to the project, it was supposed to be an important component of the reconstruction of Lviv Square in the 1970s. The city authorities have repeatedly put the unfinished project up for investment competitions, but all in vain. So why is there an investment agency at the KCSA?
9 Here, at Lviv Square, underground, there is a metro line. The subway station "Lviv Gateway" began construction back in 1991. It seems to be enveloped in some kind of magic—it just can't be completed. Funds were lacking. Although in the early 1990s, the station was constructed up to 80 percent. It was practically ready. However, they never managed to create an exit to the surface. Independent experts suggest that "Lviv Gateway" does not fit into the plans of influential developers who have set their sights on the coveted land "pie" at Lviv Square.
Mayor Klitschko assured in 2017:
“I hope that this year significant funds will be invested, and already next year (2018, – ed.) "Lviv Gateway" will be put into operation.”
Promises are just words, as the saying goes.
Will they complete "Lviv Gateway" in 2025? The budget for Kyiv-2025 includes a line about the necessity of constructing the "Lviv Gateway" station complex with an entrance—12.7 million UAH is allocated for this out of the required 1.15 billion UAH (by 2027).
Mayor Klitschko and his plan for justice
Let’s not forget that there are many historical buildings that are crumbling, being set on fire. They are a sore sight for greedy developers.
And what did the mayor promise? Here are just a few of his assurances.
0 Klitschko stated in 2017:
“We are developing a plan under which we will compel unscrupulous investors to invest in the preservation of historical buildings, or we will return the monuments to municipal ownership.”
The mayor emphasized that, for example, Americans value buildings that are nearly 100 years old; they are considered a great asset. In our case, buildings that are 200-300 years old are crumbling due to the negligence of the investor who privatized them.
“In the 1990s, irresponsible entrepreneurs privatized them, and they are not investing any money. These buildings are collapsing. We are currently developing a plan on how to compel the owners to invest funds or return the monuments to municipal ownership,” said Vitaliy Klitschko.
The mayor called on the owners of historical monuments and urged them to comply with the law and take care of the buildings, otherwise the city would return the structures back to the community's ownership.
“You may then resent yourselves. Our task is to save the appearance of our city and its historical value,” emphasized Vitaliy Klitschko.
Where is the promised plan for justice? However, one can say anything for the sake of PR, to gain the community's favor! Hundreds of populist promises have flown from Klitschko's lips. And he has never apologized to Kyiv residents for failing to bring any particular matter to completion.
In 2018, he again promised:
“Abandoned historical buildings due to the inaction of owners will be returned to municipal ownership by the city authorities