Aleksei Komech, director of the State Arts Research Institute and a
member of Moscow's expert council on architecture, says there is only
one determining factor: money. "An entire legal framework exists that
perfectly provides for the preservation of historic buildings," he says.
"It is simply ignored."
Instead, the process follows a well-worn path. "Imagine a developer
comes here and offers to invest in a restoration," he says, sweeping a
hand toward the elegant marble pillars inside his institute.
"He has only one condition: let me build a four-storey extension. We
agree and approach the Moscow authorities for permission. They say,
'wonderful, fine', only build another four stories for our use." The
result, says Komech, is a raft of destructive conversions, with replicas
of valuable buildings attached to huge, ugly extensions.
"We are not only losing our monuments, we are losing our city," he said.
"At every step, the views and silhouettes of Moscow are disappearing
behind these monstrosities."
cont'd....
http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/features/story/0,11710,1580263,00.html