MIRAX GROUP: мы we use the latest technologies
Comments from the president of the corporation
MIRAX GROUP Sergey Polonsky
The most famous project is the Federation complex, are there any plans to participate in other objects of the Moscow International Business Center «Moscow-City»?
The experience of constructing such a building as the Federation skyscraper implies promising projects in similar areas. We do not exclude the possibility of participating in other developments of the Moscow-City International Business Center. If we talk about specific projects, we will be interested in taking part in the construction of the city hall. Yuri Luzhkov (by the way, his visit to the construction of the Federation complex is planned soon) does not exclude that in the future the entire Moscow city hall will move to one of the buildings of the Moscow-City business center. And a real business center of the city will be created there. Now the structural divisions of the city hall are located at two addresses — Tverskaya, 13 and Novy Arbat, 36.
The City Hall, as well as the Federation, is a unique project. A spatial structure of four vertical structural elements, formed by four 70-story towers with rooms grouped around communication «cores» and four horizontal 8-story «bridges» connecting the towers at the top. The project also includes 20 «bridges» one floor high, «linking» the entire volume every 8 floors vertically.
Despite the fact that we are not currently participating in the construction, both architects and employees of the design studio regularly come to us for consultations.
The press constantly publishes information about the Moscow Government's plans to build a complex of commercial and residential real estate facilities, «Big City», next to the Moscow-City International Business Center. Is MIRAX GROUP going to take part in the development of this territory?
The fate of «Big City» has not yet been decided. Initially, «Big City» was supposed to be built on an 800-hectare territory in the northwest of the capital, between Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment and Zvenigorodskoye Highway. Later, it was decided to add another 200 hectares to this territory. About 80 industrial enterprises will need to be removed from the territory of «Big City». Market experts estimate the total investment in the project at $100 billion.
At the end of October this year, the concept for the development of the entire territory of the «Big City» will be submitted to the Public Council under Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, where its fate will be decided.
In any case, it is possible to move to the project implementation stage only after the concept as a whole has been approved. In order to determine the developers and investors, as is customary in Moscow, tenders will also be held. At the same time, the costs incurred by the management company for the survey and development of documentation for each site will be compensated under the terms of the tender by its winner.
All the details of the project will have to be clarified for more than one year, since the project is super-large. It will take at least another six months to a year to complete the paperwork necessary to begin construction of a particular facility. But if the mayor approves the general concept at the end of October, the project will begin to develop much more actively. As soon as the actual confirmation of the project is announced, we will be able to talk about our prospects and MIRAX GROUP's participation in this project.
In addition to «Federation», your company has built many other high-rise residential properties. Which of them could you highlight, distinguished by modern technical solutions in the engineering infrastructure?
The high-rise buildings erected by our corporation include the residential complexes Kutuzovskaya Riviera and Mirax Park. Each of them is an example of high-quality construction and unique work technologies. This spring, the Mirax Park facility was visited by specialists from Turner Corporation, a world leader in high-rise housing construction. They were amazed by the highest quality of construction and the latest technological solutions that we successfully apply.
What problems do you think exist in Moscow construction today? And what areas of construction are most in demand today?
Moscow's main problem is infrastructure: roads, connections to power grids, water and sewage systems. It is on these «reefs» that all grandiose plans for a multiple increase in the volume of constructed areas usually break down. Building a house box is not a problem, but no one needs it in itself. It needs to be provided with light, heat and water. The cost of connecting one square meter of constructed area to external networks is about $500.
Another scourge of the Russian capital is transport accessibility. Even the Moscow business center «Moscow-City» is threatened with transport collapse if the entry of cars into this area is not restricted. The experience of European capitals — London, Paris, where the city center is free from car traffic, should serve as an example here.
As for the promising areas of construction, this is the construction of residential and commercial real estate of business and premium classes, which implies not just the construction of a building, but the formation of a lifestyle. Modern buyers and tenants of real estate are discerning clients who pay the closest attention to the infrastructure of the facilities, landscaping of the territory, additional services that the developer and operating company can provide. And this creates additional opportunities for the growth of the Russian real estate market.
MIRAX GROUP Corporation was at the origins of the formation of a new niche in the Russian real estate market – construction of business and premium class housing. We ourselves formed the demand for high-end real estate, being well aware that Russian citizens cannot and should not continue to live in Khrushchev-era buildings. Residential complexes and business centers built by MIRAX GROUP Corporation are distinguished by their original architecture, modern building materials and unique construction technologies, and excellent landscaping. All this is the key to the beauty and durability of the building, and these properties are in demand and promising at all times.
Which regions of Russia could you point out where your company is carrying out construction, and what is its focus (residential or commercial real estate)?
We have carefully analyzed regional real estate markets and have come to the conclusion that they are not interesting to our corporation. We do not want to build panel houses, and business-class buildings with original architecture, modern materials and developed infrastructure are not in significant demand in the regions. These markets are very sensitive to supply growth, and the introduction of each new facility threatens the developer with a collapse in prices for the real estate they have built. In addition, outside the capitals, it is very difficult to resolve issues of land allocation — each region has its own rules of the game that cannot be standardized — renting modern construction equipment, selecting qualified specialists. All these disadvantages make work in regional markets unprofitable.
The topic of the December issue of the Building Automation newsletter is “What Do Customers Want?”, but getting a little ahead of ourselves, we would like to invite you to comment on the relationship between your company and contractors for engineering work. What would MIRAX GROUP like to improve in its relationship with contractors?
In principle, our corporation’s requirements for contractors for engineering work are the same as for other contracting organizations: the company’s reliability, high professionalism of its employees, experience and a history of completed projects, fulfillment of obligations within the established deadlines and at optimal prices. Often, when holding tenders for engineering work, participating companies offer options for optimizing our design solutions, and this is, of course, an additional plus for them.
As for our wishes for improving the work of contractors, we would like them to order equipment in advance, which, as a rule, needs to be delivered from abroad, and thus meet the deadlines for the work. |
