It is necessary to preserve cultural heritage sites in St. Petersburg not only through conservation – otherwise the building will dilapidate to such an extent that it will be impossible to restore it. Tatyana Polidi, vice-president of the Institute for Urban Economics Foundation, said this at the round table “Renovation of the Historical Center: How to Preserve Without Destroying” at the Na Marsovo Pole media center.
“Now we see that the city legislation on the protection of cultural heritage is aimed not just at preservation, but at preservation through conservation. But you need to understand that a building is a capital object subject to natural wear and tear. If you do not invest in it, it will reach the limiting stage of wear and tear. And then the balconies will fall on the heads of passers-by,” the expert noted.
According to her, from time to time, measures for restoration and adaptation are carried out in relation to cultural heritage sites, but these are isolated cases.
Polidi suggested moving towards a careful reconstruction of such buildings, which allows them to be preserved and turned into interesting objects for citizens and the city’s economy as a whole.
“The security vector should shift more to the other side: how not to bring an outwardly attractive and restored architectural ensemble to the point where it becomes unsafe for citizens. This is an important and urgent task,” Polidi emphasized.
She recalled that not so long ago, the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Communal Services of the Russian Federation submitted a bill to the State Duma that is trying to solve this problem with regard to multi-apartment buildings – objects of cultural heritage. Now even emergency and dilapidated buildings, in which it is unsafe to live, cannot be overhauled. Polidi called on the St. Petersburg deputies to get involved in the work on this legislative initiative.
Read more about what to do with crumbling historical buildings in St. Petersburg in the Rosbalt article in the near future.
Source: Rosbalt
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