Moscow news
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22-Nov-2007
High-Rises Set to Dot Moscow's Growing Skyline
Moscow authorities plan to build up to 200 high-rise tower blocks of at least 30 storeys in 60 different sites in the capital's outskirts by 2015, Vladimir Resin, the first deputy mayor of Moscow and the head of the city's construction division, said at the opening ceremony of an international investment forum Friday.
"The new high rise buildings will alter the facelessness of the city's outskirts, and become architectural landmarks," Resin said.
The construction is to take place within
the framework of the "New Ring of Moscow" program, which was adopted by the city'sgovernment in February 1999. For the short term, city officials have establi-shed the managing company JSC New Ring Of Moscow to provide financing, construction and maintenance of the high-rise buildings.
These buildings will supposedly be erected using advanced technologies, so the construction work will have to be done by highly qualified specialists as opposed to the frequently used migrant workers, who often lack the required qualifications.
"We are trying to use world experience when dealing with high-rise building in Moscow, that's the reason why we attract the leading specialists from different countries, including well-known architects," Resin said.
Experts, however, are worried that this will be a dangerous project, especially, as there is flood-prone soil in many of the prospective areas. It is possible to build high-rise buildings there, they say, but it requires special technology. If, as an anonymous expert claims is normal, short-cuts are taken because of budgetary constrains then there is a serious risk here of inherent instability in both the buildings and their foundations. Outside companies and consultants including foreign specialists, a list of which has yet to be finalized, will be brought into supervise and implement much of the work.
The purpose of the future buildings is still unclear. It is possible that they will be used for luxury apartments or more likely as combined business-living centers, with the first floors occupied by commercial offices and the upper floors by apartments. The latter is more likely as recent projects have been used in this way and demand for them has been high.
The center of Moscow is also currently undergoing a facelift as well. There will be a downtown complex based around the Federation Tower, consisting of 15 skyscrapers. The Federation Tower's East Tower is set to become the tallest building in Europe at some 506 meters (1,660 feet).
The under construction Federation Tower is set to become the tallest building in Europe, at 506 meters high
By Sergei Dmitriyev
The Moscow News