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YEREVAN'S 'PAK SHUKA': AN ICONIC MARKET'S UNCERTAIN FUTURE
by Arman Sanentz
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2012/09/10/yerevans-pak-shuka-an-iconic-markets-uncertain-future/
September 10, 2012
YEREVAN (A.W.)-What was once known as "one of Armenia's best
architectural structures" is now subject to demolition. For the
past six decades, tourists and locals alike flocked to the Pak Shuka
(literal translation "closed market," meaning covered indoor market),
where vendors sold their goods under the massive building's prominent
arches.
araz artinian Yerevans 'Pak Shuka': An Iconic Markets Uncertain Future
What was once known as "one of Armenia's best architectural structures"
is now subject to demolition. (Photo by Araz Artinian)
The historic Pak Shuka Market was a central bazaar constructed in
1952 by engineer Hamazasp Arakelyan and designed by famed architect
Grigor Aghababyan (whose 100th anniversary was celebrated in 2011).
It was listed on the State List of Immovable Historical and Cultural
Monuments of Yerevan as an officially recognized architectural
monument. During the Soviet era, when the avenue was named Lenin
Prospekt, it was Yerevan's only market with a fixed roof.
Just months ago, on Jan. 1, the sudden closure of the market-a tourist
mainstay in the center of Yerevan, on one of its main arteries Mesrop
Mashtots Avenue and the intersection of Amiryan St., across from the
Blue Mosque-left shoppers, proud vendors, and some officials confused
and angry. This, despite assurances from the management that following
a renovation, the market would revert to its original splendor and
vendors would be able to flaunt their goods as before. Around 70
salespeople working for the vendors were left without a job.
About a year earlier, in January 2011, under the administration of
former Yerevan Mayor Karen Karapetyan (who was the former head of
ArmRosGazprom), a ban on street trade was adopted, based on a 2005 law
on trade and services that banned open-air sales of all produce and
goods except ice cream, flowers, and soft drinks. The goals of the ban
were to clean up the streets of the capital and ensure that traders
conducted business under sanitary conditions. With the departure,
however, of many lively characters, the city has reportedly undergone
quite a transformation. The ban affected some 3,000 traders (unofficial
estimates put the number at 10,000), among whom were backyard farmers
and others who would regularly come from outlying areas of Yerevan
to set up shop on the sidewalks-as they couldn't afford to pay the
rent of 1,300-1,500 drams (about $3.25-$4) daily for the stalls in
most of the city's existing markets. The Municipality Department of
Trade and Services began offering the traders space at any of the 30
covered markets in the city, some of them with a first-6-months free
option. The city also started building a number of mini-markets. By
then, the opening of a variety of convenient supermarkets in every
neighborhood of Yerevan in recent years had already taken a toll on
the markets, as well as street trade.
ImageProxy 1 300x175 Yerevans 'Pak Shuka': An Iconic Markets Uncertain
Future
Demolished (Photo: ArmeniaNow.com)
On Jan. 7, Tiv 1 Shuka CSJC, the company in charge of the renovation,
began demolishing the inside of the landmark, which held ornate
stone carvings considered by some as architectural jewels and massive
intricate iron gates considered as the "gateway to the capital."
For the average Yerevantsi, to shop there was an expensive
proposition, compared to the regular markets. In its heyday, once
inside, tourists entered another universe, where they experienced
true Armenian culture and hospitality, and were greeted by a myriad
of proud and friendly vendors offering them samples-from the latest
fresh harvest of organic fruits and vegetables, intricate displays
of dried fruits and nuts, spices and herbs, an assortment of meats,
seafood, and poultry, fresh lavash bread, sheets of dried fruit syrup
(ttu lavash, or sour lavash) or roll-ups, and the ever-present fruit
sujukh (shelled walnuts threaded on a string, dipped in grape molasses,
then hung to dry until a thick and tender coat covers it in the form of
a sausage). Pak Shuka offered an amazing range of goods and souvenirs,
something to satisfy every appetite, all displayed on attractive
stalls and decorated booths. Experiencing the atmosphere, color, and
aroma was described as visiting a veritable "colorful museum of food."
The current owner of the building, Samvel Aleksanyan (b. 1968 in
Yerevan), a businessman (he owns the Yerevan City supermarket chain)
and parliamentarian representing the Republican Party of Armenia,
has tried to reassure Yerevantsis that he only plans to renovate
the building and construct an underground parking area. Yet, despite
his persistent denials, rumors abound that he plans to relocate his
largest four-story supermarket to the site of the Pak Shuka building.
Aleksanyan's company, Fleetfood, Armenia's largest food import
conglomerate, enjoys a de facto monopoly on the highly lucrative
imports of wheat, sugar, alcohol, and cooking oil to Armenia. He's
one of the country's wealthiest entrepreneurs, widely known as "Lfik
Samo" (a nickname where "Lfik" comes from the Russian word for bra,
as Samvel's father owned a bra shop in Soviet times).
Aleksanyan acquired Pak Shuka in September 2011 from fellow oligarch
and MP Gagik Tsarukyan (b. 1956 in Arinj), also known by his nickname
"Dodi Gago." Tsarukyan still owns G.U.M., the other major indoor market
in the capital. A former sportsman (arm wrestling), he is the founder
and head of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) and, since December
2008, the head of Armenia's National Olympic Committee (NOC). Readers
of the Armenian Weekly might recognize his name from an earlier article
as the wealthy businessman who promised $700,000 to the scorer of an
Olympic gold medal, in addition to a series of monetary rewards by the
government to Armenia. Tsarukyan, along with Aleksanyan (also known as
the "Informal 'Feudal Lord' of Malatia"), is considered to be one of
the most influential of Armenia's government-connected oligarchs. He
owns Multi Group, a holding company that oversees his interests.
According to Aleksanyan, a few months after buying the landmark
building in September 2001, a draft plan for a supermarket was filed
at the Armenian Ministry of Culture with the Monuments Preservation
Agency. He insists that once the proper modernization is complete,
standardized booths are in place, and an underground parking facility
is built under the market floor, there will be a number of new shops
opened inside where the storage areas used to be, which will operate
alongside the food vendors, resulting in the creation of up to 300
new jobs. Around 25 vendor villagers, some of whom come from different
parts of the country, were temporarily relocated to the Masif market,
says Aleksanyan, with a plan to bring them back to Pak Shuka when
it reopened. He further claims that the market had fallen on hard
times, with facilities inside the market needing quick attention,
including toilet facilities and problems with the running water. These
claims are supported by Yerevan Municipality spokespersons who say
the architectural elements of the renovated building will remain
intact-another one of Aleksanyan's guarantees to the public. Odds,
however, are that the new version will not be quite the same as the
original. In fact, some of the vendors may not be able to return
given the probable rent hikes and the larger new retail stalls.
On Jan. 19, Hasmig Poghosyan, the minister of culture, announced
at a press conference that since no plans had yet been submitted,
all the renovations to the interior of the building (except the
work underground for the parking area) had been halted following an
order from authorities at the Yerevan Municipality. Yet, by early
February, photos showing the dismantling of parts of the roof began
to inundate social media sites. On March 7, the Ministry of Culture
defined the building as a third-level wrecking structure, and the
Ministry of Urban Development released a report on the condition
of the building. It subsequently suspended the ongoing dismantling,
and required that an architectural plan be put in place to repair the
reinforced concrete structures and replace them one at a time. The
construct company was fined 200,000 drams (around $510 USD) for their
earlier attempts at demolishing the building. On learing that the
latest renovations were being carried out without the proper license,
Mayor Taron Margaryan sent a team to investigate. Construction was
halted and the site placed under close scrutiny. A team of experts from
the Ministry of Culture and the Yerevan Municipality formed a joint
commission to review the damage and propose concrete recommendations
on how to proceed.
Then on Sun., May 27, early in the morning and in the darkness of
night, heavy machinery brought down some of the building's arches.
The experts from the joint commission visited the site and verified
that six arched roof sections of the building had been demolished,
and late in the evening suspended further construction work at the
site. Those working on the underground foundation of the building had
apparently noticed that some of the ferro-concrete arches in the back
of the building needed attention, and while they tried to take down
the damaged ones, other arches connected to them collapsed as well.
The next day, on May 28, the joint commission came out with a
protocol allowing construction only in the underground part of
the building. Word got around that no official permit had yet been
acquired for the demolition work in other parts of the building,
prompting Margaryan to, late in the evening of May 28, publically
admit the collapse had occurred as the workers were trying to buttress
the arches, but that the steps taken were to avoid further accidental
structural collapse. Also on the same day, a group of activists of the
"Let's Save Pak Shuka" protested the dismantling and demanded their
inclusion in the decision-making meeting on the market's future. One
group, headed by former MP Stepan Safaryan of the Heritage Party,
collected signatures demanding an end to the dismantling, and turned
the petitions over to the police department.
He said he wanted everyone to realize that, in addition to the lack
of the proper documents, there were no architectural plans, nor
renditions of the proposed renovation, had been submitted. Activists
from different backgrounds continue to take every conceivable measure
to forestall the destruction of Yerevan's important architectural
landmark.
On May 31, Gayane Durgaryan, the head of the public relations
office of the Ministry of Culture, in an attempt to counter the many
rumors, issued the following statement: "The construction company
did not submit the project of additional stories to the Ministry of
Culture." Durgaryan also confirmed that the exterior of the market
would be preserved, as new solutions were being applied to other areas,
including modifying the building entrance for handicapped access. She
said the head of the Yerevan Territorial Department of the Agency
for Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments, Karo Ayvazyan,
was going to visit the storage location of the doors to the building;
the engravings on the market doors are similar to the bas-reliefs on
the altar of the Makaravank Monastery of the 10th-13th centuries.
On June 12, the special joint commission released some of its
findings. They outlined several violations, including the fact that
some of the renovation work done had overstepped the bounds set in
the approved architectural plan, and that the earlier collapse of the
arched sections of the building was a direct result of the unauthorized
work performed by the construction company. The joint commission
requested the immediate reinforcement of the underground parking
foundations, and asked the developer to file a new architectural
plan and blueprints for the ongoing renovation, delineating the fact
that all exterior and interior design elements of Pak Shuka were to
be preserved.
In a video interview with CivilNetTV correspondents on May 28, posted
on YouTube on May 31, Aleksanyan is heard saying, "About the Covered
Market...I'm saying it for the last time...it started falling apart by
itself because it's a building from 1952. A committee has been formed
to find out what caused it to crumble." When confronted about the
presence of construction vehicles in the building the night before,
he responded, "Those weren't construction machines. They were just
there to hold up the wall so it couldn't crumble on people. We have
secured it so nothing will happen." The interview goes on:
Q. But why would it start crumbling?
A. Ask the committee after they give their final conclusion.
Q. So you wouldn't destroy it?
A. No.
Q. Was it predictable?
A. The building was in very bad shape. The seismologists had stated
that it should be taken down anyway, but I don't know why they didn't
demolish it then.
Q. So would you like to keep those arches?
A. Why wouldn't I? Why not?
Q. A lot of people are saying that it's going to become a
supermarket. Will you speak about the general project? What have you
planned to do?
A. People say a lot of things... You can go stand under those [market]
walls and hear whatever you want to hear.
Q. What is it going to be, in the end?
A. A market.
Q. What kind of a market?
A. A food market, as it was before.
Q. What will it look like?
A. The market will look the same.
Q. Will it have many stories? They say there will be 4 floors.
A. Says who? Who says that?
Q. The media...
A. Who is saying that?
Q. OK, why don't you tell us about the plans concerning the
building. Tell us what you've planned so we don't have to listen to
the rumors.
A. There will be a market. A one-story market.
Q. Will the columns be restored?
A. Yes.
Q. Mr. Aleksanyan, how will you cover the expenses later? After all,
you are a serious businessman, you must have considered the risks.
How will a one-story market cover the expenses, especially when it
was there before and people said it was a very bad business, it did
not profit.
A. The market has not been renovated in over 20-30 years.
Q. Will there be windows?
A. Windows? Of course there will be windows.
Q. But you were aware from the beginning that the building is an
old one?
A. I did not know that the building was in such bad shape.
Q. Is it possible that you will restore the columns?
A. I already told you, yes.
Q. So, you'll try to achieve the same look as before.
A. Yes.
Q. Will it be like "Yerevan City" supermarkets? Why isn't there an
architect working with you? It is a violation of the law since there
are only engineers working there. I talked to them yesterday.
A. We had permits for the parking, we are doing work there. As for
the rest, the upper part, when the papers are ready, we'll proceed.
Q. Mr. Aleksanyan, will there be a sign saying "Yerevan City" on any
part of the market?
A. No, there won't be. It will be Yerevan Market.
Q. But G.U.M. Market is Yerevan Market. [G.U.M. Market is another
famous market in Yerevan, the official name of which is "Yerevan
Market."]
A. Well what can I say?
Q. Gagik Beglaryan [the minister of transportation and communications,
also a former mayor of Yerevan] will argue with you...
Will you be the main provider of the market goods?
A. Who was the provider before? Was it me? Whoever did it before will
keep doing it.
Q. How many people were there standing and selling things? How many
years ago were you there last ?
A. I went to the market often.
Q. Oh did you?
Yet, in a May 31 article by Grisha Balasanyan on Hetq.am, Aleksanyan
seemed to have changed his story: Although he once again claims that
the Pak Shuka building will remain a one-story market, in response
to an often-asked question-whether there will be a Yerevan City
supermarket in the renovated building, possibly the largest one in
the chain of markets he owns-he answers, "If the people demand it,
a part of the building will house a Yerevan City market."
The controversy over Pak Shuka is the latest in a string of historical
structures slated for demolition or sale for newer developments
across Yerevan, resulting in a wave of initiatives, including an
Open Letter to Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Yerevan
Mayor Taron Margaryan by concerned citizens, activists, NGO's, and
officials to save the market. They ask that any further modifications
to the interior of the building be reviewed by the Urban Development
Council and discussed in public awareness campaigns, with the goal
of preventing the further loss of landmarks that represent the city's
cultural and historic heritage.
If their efforts are not successful, then Yerevan as designed by
the great architect Alexander Tamanyan is at risk. The city's unique
architectural landmarks must be preserved and passed on to the next
generation for safekeeping. If MP Aleksanyan shares that outlook,
then there is no reason he can't step up to the challenge, given
his considerable wealth, in modernizing while restoring both the
interior and exterior of Pak Shuka to its former splendor. Estimates
are that the renovation may take three to five years to complete. The
demolition of this unique structure would be a major disservice to
the citizens of Yerevan, and denies future tourists a must-visit.
While communities around the world harken back to the days of fresh,
organic, and local produce, and indoor and outdoor markets are valued
and supported, the closure of Pak Shuka sits in stark contrast.
by Arman Sanentz
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2012/09/10/yerevans-pak-shuka-an-iconic-markets-uncertain-future/
September 10, 2012
YEREVAN (A.W.)-What was once known as "one of Armenia's best
architectural structures" is now subject to demolition. For the
past six decades, tourists and locals alike flocked to the Pak Shuka
(literal translation "closed market," meaning covered indoor market),
where vendors sold their goods under the massive building's prominent
arches.
araz artinian Yerevans 'Pak Shuka': An Iconic Markets Uncertain Future
What was once known as "one of Armenia's best architectural structures"
is now subject to demolition. (Photo by Araz Artinian)
The historic Pak Shuka Market was a central bazaar constructed in
1952 by engineer Hamazasp Arakelyan and designed by famed architect
Grigor Aghababyan (whose 100th anniversary was celebrated in 2011).
It was listed on the State List of Immovable Historical and Cultural
Monuments of Yerevan as an officially recognized architectural
monument. During the Soviet era, when the avenue was named Lenin
Prospekt, it was Yerevan's only market with a fixed roof.
Just months ago, on Jan. 1, the sudden closure of the market-a tourist
mainstay in the center of Yerevan, on one of its main arteries Mesrop
Mashtots Avenue and the intersection of Amiryan St., across from the
Blue Mosque-left shoppers, proud vendors, and some officials confused
and angry. This, despite assurances from the management that following
a renovation, the market would revert to its original splendor and
vendors would be able to flaunt their goods as before. Around 70
salespeople working for the vendors were left without a job.
About a year earlier, in January 2011, under the administration of
former Yerevan Mayor Karen Karapetyan (who was the former head of
ArmRosGazprom), a ban on street trade was adopted, based on a 2005 law
on trade and services that banned open-air sales of all produce and
goods except ice cream, flowers, and soft drinks. The goals of the ban
were to clean up the streets of the capital and ensure that traders
conducted business under sanitary conditions. With the departure,
however, of many lively characters, the city has reportedly undergone
quite a transformation. The ban affected some 3,000 traders (unofficial
estimates put the number at 10,000), among whom were backyard farmers
and others who would regularly come from outlying areas of Yerevan
to set up shop on the sidewalks-as they couldn't afford to pay the
rent of 1,300-1,500 drams (about $3.25-$4) daily for the stalls in
most of the city's existing markets. The Municipality Department of
Trade and Services began offering the traders space at any of the 30
covered markets in the city, some of them with a first-6-months free
option. The city also started building a number of mini-markets. By
then, the opening of a variety of convenient supermarkets in every
neighborhood of Yerevan in recent years had already taken a toll on
the markets, as well as street trade.
ImageProxy 1 300x175 Yerevans 'Pak Shuka': An Iconic Markets Uncertain
Future
Demolished (Photo: ArmeniaNow.com)
On Jan. 7, Tiv 1 Shuka CSJC, the company in charge of the renovation,
began demolishing the inside of the landmark, which held ornate
stone carvings considered by some as architectural jewels and massive
intricate iron gates considered as the "gateway to the capital."
For the average Yerevantsi, to shop there was an expensive
proposition, compared to the regular markets. In its heyday, once
inside, tourists entered another universe, where they experienced
true Armenian culture and hospitality, and were greeted by a myriad
of proud and friendly vendors offering them samples-from the latest
fresh harvest of organic fruits and vegetables, intricate displays
of dried fruits and nuts, spices and herbs, an assortment of meats,
seafood, and poultry, fresh lavash bread, sheets of dried fruit syrup
(ttu lavash, or sour lavash) or roll-ups, and the ever-present fruit
sujukh (shelled walnuts threaded on a string, dipped in grape molasses,
then hung to dry until a thick and tender coat covers it in the form of
a sausage). Pak Shuka offered an amazing range of goods and souvenirs,
something to satisfy every appetite, all displayed on attractive
stalls and decorated booths. Experiencing the atmosphere, color, and
aroma was described as visiting a veritable "colorful museum of food."
The current owner of the building, Samvel Aleksanyan (b. 1968 in
Yerevan), a businessman (he owns the Yerevan City supermarket chain)
and parliamentarian representing the Republican Party of Armenia,
has tried to reassure Yerevantsis that he only plans to renovate
the building and construct an underground parking area. Yet, despite
his persistent denials, rumors abound that he plans to relocate his
largest four-story supermarket to the site of the Pak Shuka building.
Aleksanyan's company, Fleetfood, Armenia's largest food import
conglomerate, enjoys a de facto monopoly on the highly lucrative
imports of wheat, sugar, alcohol, and cooking oil to Armenia. He's
one of the country's wealthiest entrepreneurs, widely known as "Lfik
Samo" (a nickname where "Lfik" comes from the Russian word for bra,
as Samvel's father owned a bra shop in Soviet times).
Aleksanyan acquired Pak Shuka in September 2011 from fellow oligarch
and MP Gagik Tsarukyan (b. 1956 in Arinj), also known by his nickname
"Dodi Gago." Tsarukyan still owns G.U.M., the other major indoor market
in the capital. A former sportsman (arm wrestling), he is the founder
and head of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) and, since December
2008, the head of Armenia's National Olympic Committee (NOC). Readers
of the Armenian Weekly might recognize his name from an earlier article
as the wealthy businessman who promised $700,000 to the scorer of an
Olympic gold medal, in addition to a series of monetary rewards by the
government to Armenia. Tsarukyan, along with Aleksanyan (also known as
the "Informal 'Feudal Lord' of Malatia"), is considered to be one of
the most influential of Armenia's government-connected oligarchs. He
owns Multi Group, a holding company that oversees his interests.
According to Aleksanyan, a few months after buying the landmark
building in September 2001, a draft plan for a supermarket was filed
at the Armenian Ministry of Culture with the Monuments Preservation
Agency. He insists that once the proper modernization is complete,
standardized booths are in place, and an underground parking facility
is built under the market floor, there will be a number of new shops
opened inside where the storage areas used to be, which will operate
alongside the food vendors, resulting in the creation of up to 300
new jobs. Around 25 vendor villagers, some of whom come from different
parts of the country, were temporarily relocated to the Masif market,
says Aleksanyan, with a plan to bring them back to Pak Shuka when
it reopened. He further claims that the market had fallen on hard
times, with facilities inside the market needing quick attention,
including toilet facilities and problems with the running water. These
claims are supported by Yerevan Municipality spokespersons who say
the architectural elements of the renovated building will remain
intact-another one of Aleksanyan's guarantees to the public. Odds,
however, are that the new version will not be quite the same as the
original. In fact, some of the vendors may not be able to return
given the probable rent hikes and the larger new retail stalls.
On Jan. 19, Hasmig Poghosyan, the minister of culture, announced
at a press conference that since no plans had yet been submitted,
all the renovations to the interior of the building (except the
work underground for the parking area) had been halted following an
order from authorities at the Yerevan Municipality. Yet, by early
February, photos showing the dismantling of parts of the roof began
to inundate social media sites. On March 7, the Ministry of Culture
defined the building as a third-level wrecking structure, and the
Ministry of Urban Development released a report on the condition
of the building. It subsequently suspended the ongoing dismantling,
and required that an architectural plan be put in place to repair the
reinforced concrete structures and replace them one at a time. The
construct company was fined 200,000 drams (around $510 USD) for their
earlier attempts at demolishing the building. On learing that the
latest renovations were being carried out without the proper license,
Mayor Taron Margaryan sent a team to investigate. Construction was
halted and the site placed under close scrutiny. A team of experts from
the Ministry of Culture and the Yerevan Municipality formed a joint
commission to review the damage and propose concrete recommendations
on how to proceed.
Then on Sun., May 27, early in the morning and in the darkness of
night, heavy machinery brought down some of the building's arches.
The experts from the joint commission visited the site and verified
that six arched roof sections of the building had been demolished,
and late in the evening suspended further construction work at the
site. Those working on the underground foundation of the building had
apparently noticed that some of the ferro-concrete arches in the back
of the building needed attention, and while they tried to take down
the damaged ones, other arches connected to them collapsed as well.
The next day, on May 28, the joint commission came out with a
protocol allowing construction only in the underground part of
the building. Word got around that no official permit had yet been
acquired for the demolition work in other parts of the building,
prompting Margaryan to, late in the evening of May 28, publically
admit the collapse had occurred as the workers were trying to buttress
the arches, but that the steps taken were to avoid further accidental
structural collapse. Also on the same day, a group of activists of the
"Let's Save Pak Shuka" protested the dismantling and demanded their
inclusion in the decision-making meeting on the market's future. One
group, headed by former MP Stepan Safaryan of the Heritage Party,
collected signatures demanding an end to the dismantling, and turned
the petitions over to the police department.
He said he wanted everyone to realize that, in addition to the lack
of the proper documents, there were no architectural plans, nor
renditions of the proposed renovation, had been submitted. Activists
from different backgrounds continue to take every conceivable measure
to forestall the destruction of Yerevan's important architectural
landmark.
On May 31, Gayane Durgaryan, the head of the public relations
office of the Ministry of Culture, in an attempt to counter the many
rumors, issued the following statement: "The construction company
did not submit the project of additional stories to the Ministry of
Culture." Durgaryan also confirmed that the exterior of the market
would be preserved, as new solutions were being applied to other areas,
including modifying the building entrance for handicapped access. She
said the head of the Yerevan Territorial Department of the Agency
for Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments, Karo Ayvazyan,
was going to visit the storage location of the doors to the building;
the engravings on the market doors are similar to the bas-reliefs on
the altar of the Makaravank Monastery of the 10th-13th centuries.
On June 12, the special joint commission released some of its
findings. They outlined several violations, including the fact that
some of the renovation work done had overstepped the bounds set in
the approved architectural plan, and that the earlier collapse of the
arched sections of the building was a direct result of the unauthorized
work performed by the construction company. The joint commission
requested the immediate reinforcement of the underground parking
foundations, and asked the developer to file a new architectural
plan and blueprints for the ongoing renovation, delineating the fact
that all exterior and interior design elements of Pak Shuka were to
be preserved.
In a video interview with CivilNetTV correspondents on May 28, posted
on YouTube on May 31, Aleksanyan is heard saying, "About the Covered
Market...I'm saying it for the last time...it started falling apart by
itself because it's a building from 1952. A committee has been formed
to find out what caused it to crumble." When confronted about the
presence of construction vehicles in the building the night before,
he responded, "Those weren't construction machines. They were just
there to hold up the wall so it couldn't crumble on people. We have
secured it so nothing will happen." The interview goes on:
Q. But why would it start crumbling?
A. Ask the committee after they give their final conclusion.
Q. So you wouldn't destroy it?
A. No.
Q. Was it predictable?
A. The building was in very bad shape. The seismologists had stated
that it should be taken down anyway, but I don't know why they didn't
demolish it then.
Q. So would you like to keep those arches?
A. Why wouldn't I? Why not?
Q. A lot of people are saying that it's going to become a
supermarket. Will you speak about the general project? What have you
planned to do?
A. People say a lot of things... You can go stand under those [market]
walls and hear whatever you want to hear.
Q. What is it going to be, in the end?
A. A market.
Q. What kind of a market?
A. A food market, as it was before.
Q. What will it look like?
A. The market will look the same.
Q. Will it have many stories? They say there will be 4 floors.
A. Says who? Who says that?
Q. The media...
A. Who is saying that?
Q. OK, why don't you tell us about the plans concerning the
building. Tell us what you've planned so we don't have to listen to
the rumors.
A. There will be a market. A one-story market.
Q. Will the columns be restored?
A. Yes.
Q. Mr. Aleksanyan, how will you cover the expenses later? After all,
you are a serious businessman, you must have considered the risks.
How will a one-story market cover the expenses, especially when it
was there before and people said it was a very bad business, it did
not profit.
A. The market has not been renovated in over 20-30 years.
Q. Will there be windows?
A. Windows? Of course there will be windows.
Q. But you were aware from the beginning that the building is an
old one?
A. I did not know that the building was in such bad shape.
Q. Is it possible that you will restore the columns?
A. I already told you, yes.
Q. So, you'll try to achieve the same look as before.
A. Yes.
Q. Will it be like "Yerevan City" supermarkets? Why isn't there an
architect working with you? It is a violation of the law since there
are only engineers working there. I talked to them yesterday.
A. We had permits for the parking, we are doing work there. As for
the rest, the upper part, when the papers are ready, we'll proceed.
Q. Mr. Aleksanyan, will there be a sign saying "Yerevan City" on any
part of the market?
A. No, there won't be. It will be Yerevan Market.
Q. But G.U.M. Market is Yerevan Market. [G.U.M. Market is another
famous market in Yerevan, the official name of which is "Yerevan
Market."]
A. Well what can I say?
Q. Gagik Beglaryan [the minister of transportation and communications,
also a former mayor of Yerevan] will argue with you...
Will you be the main provider of the market goods?
A. Who was the provider before? Was it me? Whoever did it before will
keep doing it.
Q. How many people were there standing and selling things? How many
years ago were you there last ?
A. I went to the market often.
Q. Oh did you?
Yet, in a May 31 article by Grisha Balasanyan on Hetq.am, Aleksanyan
seemed to have changed his story: Although he once again claims that
the Pak Shuka building will remain a one-story market, in response
to an often-asked question-whether there will be a Yerevan City
supermarket in the renovated building, possibly the largest one in
the chain of markets he owns-he answers, "If the people demand it,
a part of the building will house a Yerevan City market."
The controversy over Pak Shuka is the latest in a string of historical
structures slated for demolition or sale for newer developments
across Yerevan, resulting in a wave of initiatives, including an
Open Letter to Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Yerevan
Mayor Taron Margaryan by concerned citizens, activists, NGO's, and
officials to save the market. They ask that any further modifications
to the interior of the building be reviewed by the Urban Development
Council and discussed in public awareness campaigns, with the goal
of preventing the further loss of landmarks that represent the city's
cultural and historic heritage.
If their efforts are not successful, then Yerevan as designed by
the great architect Alexander Tamanyan is at risk. The city's unique
architectural landmarks must be preserved and passed on to the next
generation for safekeeping. If MP Aleksanyan shares that outlook,
then there is no reason he can't step up to the challenge, given
his considerable wealth, in modernizing while restoring both the
interior and exterior of Pak Shuka to its former splendor. Estimates
are that the renovation may take three to five years to complete. The
demolition of this unique structure would be a major disservice to
the citizens of Yerevan, and denies future tourists a must-visit.
While communities around the world harken back to the days of fresh,
organic, and local produce, and indoor and outdoor markets are valued
and supported, the closure of Pak Shuka sits in stark contrast.