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Yerevan Experts Not Opposed to Turning Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Building into Hotel
Narek Aleksanyan
hetq
13:46, October 5, 2012
"Of course a cultural center in [Yerevan's] Republic Square would be
desirable, but if we [have to] make a choice between a hotel and a
state department, then, without a doubt, it would be better for there
to be a hotel instead of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - on the
condition that the exterior architectural appearance of the building
is preserved," said Ruben Babayan, the artistic director of the
Yerevan State Puppet Theatre named after Hovhannes Tumanyan, meeting
with journalists today and expressing his views on turning the foreign
ministry building into a hotel.
Recall, according to a government decision Thursday, the No. 2
Goverment Building in the city of Yerevan, which houses the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, was sold to Tango CJSC, which belongs to wealthy
Argentian-Armenian businessman Eduardo Eurnekian. The building, which
reportedly will house a five-star hotel, was sold for the equivalent
of $51 million 271 thousand USD.
Samvel Karapetyan, head of the Yerevan branch of the NGO Research on
Armenian Architecture, is for the most part also not opposed to
another hotel in Yerevan's central square, citing as an example the
Golden Tulip Hotel, which was sold to Italian entrepreneurs, who,
despite conducting other renovations, didn't touch the exterior
architectural appearance of the building.
"There's only one small area of concern," Karapetyan cautioned. "To
what extent does it define the image of our country, our capital city,
its center if half or even more of the buildings at its heart,
Republic Square, are to be hotels and not centers of culture?"
Babayan added: "I'm happier that a private individual is coming to
take ownership of that building - I no longer trust the state in these
matters. We saw what a state official who had the vote of the people
did with the Pak Shuka [the covered marketplace on Mashtots Ave.
having historical and cultural significance]."
Babayan also noted that in many developed countries, the state
departments located in the city center are removed from there.
Courthouses are turned into theaters; ministry buildings, into
libraries. "Regarding the role of the building, it plays no historical
role as, for example, the White House, and even [Yerevan architect
Alexander] Tamamyan didn't decide that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
had to be there."
Building into Hotel
Narek Aleksanyan
hetq
13:46, October 5, 2012
"Of course a cultural center in [Yerevan's] Republic Square would be
desirable, but if we [have to] make a choice between a hotel and a
state department, then, without a doubt, it would be better for there
to be a hotel instead of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - on the
condition that the exterior architectural appearance of the building
is preserved," said Ruben Babayan, the artistic director of the
Yerevan State Puppet Theatre named after Hovhannes Tumanyan, meeting
with journalists today and expressing his views on turning the foreign
ministry building into a hotel.
Recall, according to a government decision Thursday, the No. 2
Goverment Building in the city of Yerevan, which houses the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, was sold to Tango CJSC, which belongs to wealthy
Argentian-Armenian businessman Eduardo Eurnekian. The building, which
reportedly will house a five-star hotel, was sold for the equivalent
of $51 million 271 thousand USD.
Samvel Karapetyan, head of the Yerevan branch of the NGO Research on
Armenian Architecture, is for the most part also not opposed to
another hotel in Yerevan's central square, citing as an example the
Golden Tulip Hotel, which was sold to Italian entrepreneurs, who,
despite conducting other renovations, didn't touch the exterior
architectural appearance of the building.
"There's only one small area of concern," Karapetyan cautioned. "To
what extent does it define the image of our country, our capital city,
its center if half or even more of the buildings at its heart,
Republic Square, are to be hotels and not centers of culture?"
Babayan added: "I'm happier that a private individual is coming to
take ownership of that building - I no longer trust the state in these
matters. We saw what a state official who had the vote of the people
did with the Pak Shuka [the covered marketplace on Mashtots Ave.
having historical and cultural significance]."
Babayan also noted that in many developed countries, the state
departments located in the city center are removed from there.
Courthouses are turned into theaters; ministry buildings, into
libraries. "Regarding the role of the building, it plays no historical
role as, for example, the White House, and even [Yerevan architect
Alexander] Tamamyan didn't decide that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
had to be there."