New Shenqs of Downtown Yerevan
So there are 10+ new residential buildings being built in my neighbourhood right now, and another 5 or more which were recently completed. I used to look out my window and see a village like setting, right smack in the middle of downtown Yerevan. Sadly those residents were thrown out and what is now to become Northern Avenue started taking its ugly shape (ugly cause although the idea is beautiful ... the new buildings are ugly in my opinion.)
Now, over the past year I’ve been looking at how these buildings are being built; which builders were using cheap materials; and which ones were doing better jobs.
The Russians are building one across from my building doing a great job.
Then there are the locals right next to them, which have literally taken about 6 months to build an underground garage.
In the meantime, on Toumanyan Street, Dodi Gago built the frame of his 12 floor Dodishenq in the same time.
(I remember when my dad was here earlier this year, he would sit by the window for hours, constantly yelling, “Move it ... you coconuts!” I swear that voice still echoes in my head.)
(In the pic on the left you can see Dodi’s shenq in the back.)
Although I now have a basic understanding of how buildings are built, I just don’t understand this concept. (Someone PLEASE shed some light if you know what is happening in this picture.)
I’m guessing it’s the support they need to put up to build on top of later. But how many trees were cut down for this? Why is it that all the other buildings that were built have used steel supports? Who knows, maybe they’re building a barn.
Now, over the past year I’ve been looking at how these buildings are being built; which builders were using cheap materials; and which ones were doing better jobs.
The Russians are building one across from my building doing a great job.
Then there are the locals right next to them, which have literally taken about 6 months to build an underground garage.In the meantime, on Toumanyan Street, Dodi Gago built the frame of his 12 floor Dodishenq in the same time.
(I remember when my dad was here earlier this year, he would sit by the window for hours, constantly yelling, “Move it ... you coconuts!” I swear that voice still echoes in my head.)
(In the pic on the left you can see Dodi’s shenq in the back.)
Although I now have a basic understanding of how buildings are built, I just don’t understand this concept. (Someone PLEASE shed some light if you know what is happening in this picture.)
I’m guessing it’s the support they need to put up to build on top of later. But how many trees were cut down for this? Why is it that all the other buildings that were built have used steel supports? Who knows, maybe they’re building a barn.
posted by Der Hova at 3:37 PM
16 Comments:
Incidentally, this is the website of the Russian company selling apartments by Der Hova :-)
http://en.newyerevan.com/about/news
Hey Raff, the Russians I mentioned (the ones who are building using GOOD materials and building properly) are different Russians. :-)
In the pic with all the wood being used, they built the building right behind it. Beautiful clean job. (None of those crappy bricks used like you see in old Armenian buildings ... and yet, there are still people building with that junk.)
You should have given your dad a hard hat and sent him down to the site to yell "Move it... you coonuts!" I would have loved to see the construction workers faces.
Are the construction workers Armenians?
All the construction workers of the barn seem to be Armenian. You can tell from the typical ... sitting around ... one guy doing everything, while about 10 others supervise.
The Russian building I mentioned (sorry ... I can't say for sure if the owner(s) is really Russian, I just overheard people say he is) had a lot of Molokon workers ... very very good workers.
Just in case readers don't know who these people are, here is a link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molokan
There's also more on the Molokan's on their main english language web site at:
http://www.molokane.org/
Also, Eurasianet just published my article on education in the Molokan community at:
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/pp091305.shtml
"You should have given your dad a hard hat and sent him down to the site to yell "Move it... you coonuts!" I would have loved to see the construction workers faces."
LOL, that put a funny image in my head! I had a good laugh.
So, I can't help but wonder with all these new tall buildings that may or may not be using good or bad materials, how "earthquake resistant" they will be when the time comes?
Also... Group of buildings on Northern Ave? I'm no marketing specialist, but that's the least creative slogan I've ever seen. Sounds like my good ol' President Bush trying to piece together words in a press conference ("group of folks" ring a bell?)
I swear, you shouldn't let just anyone comment, because now it is like eating just one potato chip, and I keep wanting to comment, even tho I held back for 2 years or more. I don't want to get into it with anyone, but..
Yes, we are all hypocritical to some degree...but it strikes me as so arrogant (and rude and deragotory) to yell "move it you coconuts" - and the dad would just be one more supervisor there. The old Soviet saying, "We pretend to work, and they pretend to pay us" comes to mind here. That might have been what is at play. But you really just infer that Armenians (which you-all are) are lazy. How does that help your cause? I witness all the time how Diasporans sneer at locals, put them down, ride them, even while simultaneously having local friends. Social change is difficult and individuals without power or money do what they can.
OK, I promise I will not write another comment, just shake my head as I read things here. Like Onnik (I think) I find it hard to believe that you can really reconcile your helping Armenia with complaints about such superficial things like the quality of a restaurant meal (that is way down on the priority list of development, despite the needed income of the tourist industry), or the fact that there are no indoor tennis courts or crap like that!
I'm done. Flame me. No more comments on here. I will retrain myself.
Oooo... asking to be flamed. How can I resist? No need to hide behind Anonymous, and no need to refrain from posting more comments... in fact, let me know if you want to write on the expat journal.
There is clearly a massive divide in mentality and culture between most Diasporans and locals, but I won't go into that, since I assume you are already familiar with the issue.
However I will say that I am surprised you are suprised we write about restaurant meals and tennis courts, calling that all crap and down on the list of needed development. We are all human. We grew up in the west. These are things that we encounter in our daily lives here. We are not development machines. We are just living our lives, and writing some of our observations to let others know what it's like for us, what we see, experience, hear, etc. We write about development when it strikes our fancy. This is not a development log... seems pretty simple to me. On top of that I'd add that fortunately we can work towards large scale development and quality of restaurant meals at the same time!
My dad a rude and deragotory supervisor? FAR from it dude. Very VERY far.
I don't know what the big deal is. I sneer at diasporans too (maybe more). As Armenians, we ALL sneer at our kind. You just sneered at us. Let's all sneer together.
But on a serious note, you raise an interesting point. You talk about how it's a new democracy and slowing progressing and the Diaspora needs to stop riding them (as if they don't sneer at us). But I think the beautiful thing about Armenians all over the world is that we set high standards to challenge each other, which forces us to think about our process. And frankly, that's a great way to progress... to be challenged... ALL sides.
Oops, I forgot to mention, yes taking 6 months to build one underground garage (while all the other LOCALS have built a 12 floor building and the other buildings have gone up at least 3-4 floors with the work of ashxataser LOCALS) is plain laziness.
My dad works in construction too, and he always has complained about the appalling building safety standards that he sees every day in #Yerevan. He also thinks there is no excuse for such events as much of safety of building apparently doesn't impact cost, its the WAY you build..anyways...Im no expert but Im sure wherever in the world that progress is slow in buildings, anyone would shout what Hova's dad did, including mine. Do we not ask them to get a move on because they are local Armenians?1?!?1 how does that help anyone\? the buildings in Yerevan are taking AGESSSS to go up.
Anonymous,
The image of a person (ANY PERSON)in a hard hat calling construction workers (ANY CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD) coconuts was supposed to be humorous.
My creation of that image WAS NOT meant to signify Diasporans sneering at locals or inferring they're lazy. Sadly, that was just the way YOU perceived it.
Slow or Fast they are building something... even if it is a barn in the middle of the city it's something.... and that's productive!
Hi folks.
Add another newbie to the mix.
I just wanted to mention that parking structures and parking garages take a long time to build because they must be built one floor at a time, then let the concrete settle and harden, so that another floor may also be built. Working with concrete is tricky and takes some time. Perhaps the 6 months it took to build un underground parking garage is a good thing! :)
Also: I'm loving all the new developments in Getron (sorry, can't bring myself to write Kendron). But I must say, the architecture of most of the buildings are very late 80s/early 90s and leave lots to be desired. :(
I haven't been to Armenia since 2000. You wouldn't believe how antsy I am to go back!
Nice to meet you all!
Karnig
The U.S. Congress is set to vote on two Armenian genocide resolutions this week. Let us hope and pray that justice will be on our side. Brent Scowcroft has said some pretty blistering comments regarding the resolutions. It is disgraceful. Keep up the good work on this blog. Your voice is needed.
jeff
www.vochmeban.blogspot.com
I observe with pain and profound sorrow how semi-literate, narrow-minded nouveaux rich elites and their subservient municipal bureaucrats and architects destroy the dear image of old Yerevan, my once beautiful city.
Diaspora Armenians, eghbairner ev quirer! Please, STOP implementing any projects or make investments that can directly or indirectly benefit the anti-popular, unelected, and self-centered rulers. By demolishing or relocating old buildings and by erecting tasteless Europhile buildings in downtown Yerevan, they not only force impoverished dwellers out of their homes but eradicate the very memory that Yerevantsis have for their city. Why are they doing this? Material profit and a drive to attract foreigners is one reason. Another, and to me, more deep-seated one, is because the majority of those elites is provincials. I do not believe that a genuine Yerevantsi could destroy his own city with such an ease than an uninvited new-comer from provincial Karabakh does. These constructions are anti-popular: they are rejected by the overwhelming majority of Yerevan citizens. Please respect the feelings of people who remained in their native city despite all odds, unimaginable hardships and deprivations that fell upon them during Armenian independence years!
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