I. Metshin: “After the restoration, the Petzold’s brewery complex will become a new magnet for tourists”

(KZN.RU, May 30, Alsu Safina). The Petzold’s brewery buildings’ complex on Tukay Street, where the reconstruction is currently underway, will become a new center of attraction for Kazan citizens and tourists, believes the Mayor of Kazan. Today Ilsur Metshin got acquainted with the works, performed at the site, and also discussed the functional purpose of the complex after the restoration with investors and Tatiana Prokofieva, the chief architect of Kazan.

An excursion to the site for the Mayor was conducted by Airat Khayrullin, the deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, and Ilshat Khayrullin, the general director of the ZAO “Edelveis Corporation”, the chairman of the directors’ board of the “Edelveis Group”. The agreement on the restoration of the buildings’ complex of the Petzold’s brewery, built in 1892, which has the status of an object of cultural heritage of regional importance, was signed with the OAO “Edelveis Group” in May 2012. However, the work on the complex began in 2008.

“Since 2008, we began to study archival materials, prepared a justification to make a restoration project, and coordinated it with the Ministry of Culture of Tatarstan. After that, the restoration project was ordered, for which measurements were made, an instrumental survey was conducted to understand the load-bearing capacity of individual structures and brickwork. In addition, we carried out rescue operations, developed a design for the adjustment. Each step was coordinated with the Ministry of Culture, after discussion at scientific councils with the participation of architects, historians”, said Iliyas Ganiev, the curator of the facility, the deputy general director for the construction of the OAO “Edelveis Group”.

Last year, investors began to restore three buildings facing Tukay Street after receiving project documentation that passed state expertise and permission from the Ministry of Culture of Tatarstan. The estimated cost of restoration of all three buildings is about 200 million rubles. As Airat Khayrullin noted, works on the facilities are in full swing but even more global tasks are to be implemented in the next stages of reconstruction and launch of the complex.

To date, the reconstructed two-story building of the former apartment house has already been erected and the facade and the roof of the attic are being constructed. The construction of the roof structure and restoration of the yard facade with bricks is carried out at the second facility. Pouring of floors in the basement, the reconstruction of old window openings, the construction of the roof are performed on the third object, the injection of cracks in the walls is underway.

Before the start of work on the site, the basements were actually filled with debris. In total, more than 700 “KAMAZ” trucks or 11 thousand tons of garbage were transported from the territory of the complex before the beginning of the restoration work.

The Mayor of Kazan examined all three objects. Iliyas Ganiev told the Mayor about the specifics of the work within the framework of this project. The smallest of the three objects was semi-basement. During the works, the basement was lowered to the level of one in the neighboring building in order to obtain a single beautiful volume.

The Mayor of Kazan, impressed by what he saw, noted the volume of what had been done. “Sincere gratitude to the OAO “Edelveis Group” (customer and main contractor – ed.). After the inspection, it becomes clear that the tremendous work has been done and a large amount of work remains to be done”, marked Ilsur Metshin and asked about the completion time for these three sites. “We plan to finish three buildings this year and start the heat in them”, said Iliyas Ganiev.

Investors intend to use all three buildings as exhibition spaces. In addition, it is planned to equip the conference room here and open a small cafe. “We wanted to place offices in the third building, now we are considering an option with a hostel”, said Iliyas Ganiev, discussing the future of the complex with the Mayor.

“The object is of a great importance for both the Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda and whole Kazan from the point of view of preserving and restoring the historical heritage of the city. After opening, the complex will become a new magnet and a center of attraction for tourists and citizens of Kazan”, the head of the city expressed his confidence and marked the importance of cooperation with the Ministry of Culture of Tatarstan in the implementation of this project.

“We saw what opportunities the reconstruction of the complex will give us: the city will receive new fashionable exhibition areas”, concluded the Mayor. “A very stylish exhibition, office, and presentation platform can be formed here where we can hold conferences and gather the public”.

“This is a unique territory for the Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda because it is the only historical and architectural complex that has been preserved on the territory of the Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda with such interesting buildings and in such measure. The restoration of this complex will be a huge step forward for the development of the historical center and the Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda. The tourist route is planned to be extended to this facility”, said Marat Usmanov, the prefect of the “Stary Gorod”.

To date, brickwork and roofing (with insulation) in the former residential building for workers have been restored during the first stage of the works in addition to the three buildings on the territory of the cultural heritage complex.

At the second stage of the restoration, it is planned to work in the complex of the former brewery on the following objects: a glacier and a basement. “Ice was stored in one of the premises, which was delivered there in the winter from the Kaban Lake, and all the summer it was used to cool beer, which, in turn, was stored in the next basement”, noted Iliyas Ganiev. In the future, it is supposed to organize a permanent exhibition there, showrooms of building materials, architect and designer workshops, a sort of art space for those who are engaged in construction and repair. Now the design is underway, followed by the coordination of documentation.

Petzold's brewery was built in the late 19th century. Since then, the object has changed its purpose several times. Since the middle of the XX century the concern “Krasny Vostok” produced juices and water in it, then the building was empty. The last reconstruction was carried out in 1975.

In total, there are 96 objects of cultural heritage in Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda, including 7 ones of federal significance. Now the reconstruction works are carried out at three sites, in addition to the complex of the Petzold’s brewery: it is the G. Tukay Museum and the Azimovskaya Mosque.