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YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS. Chief architect of Yerevan Arthur Meschyan says remembering the Afrikyan Club House of Yerevan is painful, but at the same time he assures that the demolished building can be restored.
The Afrikyan Club was a building built in the 19th century by the Afrikyan brothers, wealthy businessmen and socialites. The building was a meeting place of the city’s elite back in those days. It was used for different purposes after being appropriated by Soviet authorities.
In present-days, the building was labeled a structure of historic importance.
But sadly in 2008 the government approved the demolishing of the building and planned to reconstruct it in a different location. It was brought down in 2014. The move sparked protests at that time.
Speaking to reporters today, Meschyan said if he were in office at that time he would never allow to demolish the building. “I am sad that this building was brought down, but I am also calm about this building because every piece of stone has been saved and the building is possible to be reconstructed”, he said.
He added that construction programs must be maximally distanced from downtown Yerevan.
“Our city is a very good city. As much as they tried to pollute it, they failed,” he said, apparently referring to oligarch-related abuses in the construction sector.
“There are no unsolvable issues here. This requires everyone to be on board the same train, and everything will be allright,” he said.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan