Odesa appealed to law enforcement officers regarding the demolition of a building on Frantsuzsky Boulevard

A scandal erupted in Odesa over the damage to a historic building on Frantsuzsky Boulevard that has a protected status. The city authorities have reported the crime and insist on an immediate cessation of work and restoration of the monument.

This was reported by Petro Obukhov, a deputy of the Odesa City Council.

According to him, the complex of buildings was sold at an auction to the State Property Fund back in 2021. Subsequently, in 2025, the owner succeeded in removing the status of an architectural monument from one of the warehouses through the court. At the same time, the main building facing Frantsuzsky Boulevard retained its protected status.

It was this building that was damaged at night. Obukhov emphasized that such actions are illegal.

"Damaging an architectural monument is a crime. We have Article 298 in the Criminal Code on this," Obukhov said.

He also emphasized that no permits had been issued for construction work on the site. City services have already responded to the incident.

Thus, the State Architectural and Construction Control drew up a report on unauthorized work, and the departments of architecture and land resources issued an order to stop it immediately. Both bodies appealed to law enforcement agencies to investigate the crime.

The deputy admitted that the owner could be interested in dismantling part of the building for further commercial realization of the territory. However, he emphasized that this could not happen at the cost of destroying the historical heritage.

The architectural monument must be preserved and restored. I cannot understand such a barbaric attitude towards my hometown. And we will not forgive it," Obukhov said.

He also emphasized that the only way is to force a well-known developer to restore the building and maintain it in good condition.

Olga Kvasnytska also recalled that the decision on the territory of the former plant at 10 Frantsuzsky Boulevard was made in February 2024, when the land commission and the city council session actually launched further changes. According to her, back then Odessans were publicly promised no development, but at the same time a decision was made that allowed the transfer of most of the land plot for lease.

It was a transfer of 1.34 hectares of the territory to KAPLOR 7 as an industrial zone for a period of 15 years. At the same time, as the deputy noted, in August 2025, the company took the initiative to change the purpose of the site to a residential zone Zh-5, which opened up the possibility of building high-rise buildings with a height of 9 to 16 floors. She also noted that she had sent relevant appeals to law enforcement agencies.

Intent received a comment from the head of the Department of State Architectural and Construction Control of the Odesa City Council, Oleksandr Avdeev, who confirmed the damage to the monument. According to him, on March 24, a commission inspection was conducted on the territory of the former winery.

It is a cultural heritage site of local significance, an architectural and urban planning monument called the Warehouse Building of the Provincial Department, built by architect Lev Vlodek in 1895.

Анна Бальчінос