From underground venue to residential quarter: what will happen to the Alafuzov factory

      Monuments will be preserved, the area will be complemented with housing, offices, a hotel, and a museum

      The concept of "a city within a city"

      In Kazan, a large-scale restoration of the territory of the former Alafuzov factory has begun. In recent years, the abandoned workshops of the factory attracted creative youth – underground parties, photo shoots, and art events took place here, and in 2023, the site was used for the NUR media art festival. Many are familiar with the local sculpture – a giant face placed above the entrance to the building at Gladilova, 55A. At the beginning of the pandemic, a scandal erupted on social media over a party held at this location shortly before the lockdown. Now, however, informal life will give way to planned restoration. First in line is the Kotyolov House at Gladilova, 53A. The building, dating back to 1833, which had long been in disrepair, has become the first step towards the revival of an entire industrial quarter of the city.

      There are three cultural heritage sites in this area: the Kotyolov House, the factory building, and the chimney of the Alafuzov factory from 1895, said Natalia Prokhorova, Deputy Chair of the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Heritage Sites of Tatarstan, to journalists today. The investor intends to preserve them all. In total, there are 8 buildings on the territory.

      The goal of the project is to transform the former industrial zone into a multifunctional complex that will include housing, offices, catering, a hotel, and museum space. The concept sounds like "I live here, I work here, I relax here," said Andrey Belyakov, head of the developer company "Breeze." In fact, this concept has been preserved since the time of the factory's operation, but more on that later.

      "This will be a multifunctional complex. There will be residential buildings, administrative buildings, entertainment facilities, catering, and a hotel. So, it turns out to be a kind of city within a city," shared the chief engineer of the project, Marina Vilkova.

      New facilities will also appear on the territory – compensatory construction. However, all historical buildings will remain without extensions and reconstructions, and their external appearance is planned to recreate the atmosphere of the early 20th century. The Kotyolov House, after restoration, will retain its administrative and business function, housing a library and museum space.

      Notably, the project will also include a pond adjacent to the Alafuzov theater. This is also a cultural heritage site, which was restored back in 2024. At that time, the committee announced plans to improve the historically industrial area of the Kirov district (the factory and service buildings of Alafuzov), which had fallen into disrepair over the years.

      "Here, everything is the spirit of history"

      The industrial zone began to develop in the mid-18th century when a tannery owned by the Kotyolov merchants operated here. In 1866, the enterprise was purchased by Ivan Alafuzov – from this moment, its flourishing began. The Alafuzov factories became the largest in the city, and by the early 20th century, it had become a whole industrial empire: weaving, chemical, leather production, mechanical workshops. The Kotyolov House itself was initially a residential building, and in 1893 it was converted into a factory office; later, it even housed a fire station – the factory often caught fire.

      After the 1917 revolution, the enterprise was nationalized, and later it became the Lenin Flax Plant. During the Soviet period, the famous Shukhov Tower was built here. At that time, the buildings were repeatedly reconstructed – especially heavily in the 1960s and 70s, when window openings were changed and historical elements were lost.

      "Here, everything is the spirit of history. Both Kotyolov and Alafuzov were major merchants who did not set the goal of personal enrichment but created a lot for the people. They had dormitories for employees. And all the workers lived quite comfortably. Both invested a lot in the education of their people. They themselves trained their staff," Belyakov said.

      The factory closed in 2007 due to bankruptcy. But soon, in 2013, the building attracted the underground community – an art space opened here. In 2024, it was closed due to plans for the renovation of the territory.

      "I have lived in the Kirov district all my life; I grew up here. As a student, when the factory was operating, we were taken here on excursions. I always found it interesting and curious to look at these historical buildings since childhood. <…> I always looked and thought how beautiful it was here. And when the years of perestroika came, I watched as all these machines were taken out onto the street, how the factory was falling apart, and people were losing their jobs. And even then, I told myself: 'I want to create something beautiful here so that people can live comfortably.' And that's it, I've been pursuing this idea for over ten years," Belyakov shared his personal motives.

      What has been preserved and what needs to be restored

      The main architectural feature of the Kotyolov House is the combination of materials. The first floor is stone, plastered, and painted in a warm beige-peach color. The second and third floors are wooden, made of logs, clad in planks, and painted green. The windows of the upper floors are framed with white carved trim. Above each window is a carved pattern in the shape of a half-sun.

      As the chief architect of the project, Albina Karimova, explained, the building has been reconstructed many times, which is confirmed by field studies. Its condition is assessed as limitedly operable.

      "Here, elements from various eras have been preserved. We see ceiling beams around the perimeter of the room – this is a characteristic feature of pre-revolutionary decoration. The original door from the classical period – the mid-19th century – has been preserved. Throughout the building, there are stoves, including painted ones, which we date to the early 19th century. All these elements are planned for careful restoration," she said.

      However, there have also been significant losses. The grand staircase from the first to the second floor and the portico on the southern facade have been lost. According to archival materials, they will be recreated.

      Vilkova explained that during the Soviet period, the building was reconstructed particularly heavily. The attic spaces, which were previously unused, began to be adapted for the needs of the plant. For this, historical window openings were bricked up, and new ones were made – this significantly distorted the external appearance of the monument.

      "We had a big dilemma, and this was a difficulty: what to do with these rooms that currently exist, but their presence distorts the external appearance of the building? The client supported us, and we decided to abandon the use of these rooms that were adapted during the Soviet era, to return the historical window openings to their place, that is, to restore the facade. We are losing part of the rooms, and this is a conscious choice in favor of preserving the cultural heritage site," noted the chief engineer.

      The project includes a complete set of measures: strengthening the foundations, waterproofing, restoring brickwork, reinforcing the wooden frame using the lifting method, replacing the roof, and restoring facades and interiors. There will also be metal canopies and fences in the style of the building.

      As for the two other cultural heritage sites on the territory, their condition is worse. According to Vilkova, the Kotyolov House is in the best condition because its operation was practically uninterrupted. The chimney from 1895 is currently used as an art object. However, the factory building is in the most difficult condition.

      Implementation period – about 7 years

      The total renovation period for the entire territory will be about 5–7 years, Belyakov said. At the same time, the deadlines, as is often the case with cultural heritage sites, may shift.

      "About 25% of the total work has probably been completed. Permission has been obtained for the reconstruction of the Kotyolov House, and several other objects are being prepared for obtaining permits. Some objects are still undergoing examination," he reported.

      The project financing is entirely private. There is no state participation, Belyakov emphasized. When the developer first entered the territory, the total investment volume was estimated at about 10 billion rubles. However, over three years, the market situation has changed: materials have become more expensive, and restoration work is generally more costly than new construction.

      "New construction has one cost, while restoration entails unforeseen expenses. It seems that you calculated that you could preserve three boards, but it turns out you can't preserve them; they need to be restored, and that involves completely different costs. A coefficient of one to two has always been applied in restoration. So I can't say anything right now. It's quite possible that it will be more. Well, we are ready for that," he explained.

      The work will proceed in stages: first, the Kotyolov House will be restored, while documentation for other cultural heritage sites on the territory – the factory building and the chimney – is being prepared in parallel. After that, work will begin on them, and compensatory construction will also appear – new residential and public buildings necessary for the territory to live a full life, rather than turning