A Gem of a Stalin Era Apartment For Sale, Intact & One-of-a-Kind
Growing up in the U.S., my parents, my 3 sisters, and I restored old homes. One of them here is a German stone farmhouse from 1790. The homes were a lot of fun to live in, and it made you feel as if you were living in history. A new house cannot possibly give the same charm. Moving to Russia, in Omsk, I learned about the Stalinki apartments, built in the Stalin era, and came to appreciate the high-quality work that went into these luxurious apartments. Unfortunately, in looking through the ones for sale, I found most of them had been destroyed by well-meaning designers and owners who wanted the latest fashion. They didn't understand that the classic designs and details cannot be replaced. However, recently, I stumbled upon a real gem. Location is a lot, and this Stalin flat is in the very center, one block away from the Uspensky Cathedral. It must have been built in 1938 for the very top of the elite party members. The outside is a one-of-a kind building. What is a real boon is that the owners were too poor, probably, to try any new-fashioned designs that would have killed the effect. Look at the art deco doors, transom lights, and old-fashioned setting for the kitchen. You simply cannot replace these. In Moscow, many of these apartments are valued and kept intact, and the value is great. Nothing big needs to be done architecturally. The price is almost 12 million on the listing, but for the center of Omsk, for an apartment this size with orginal doors, windows and floors, you simply can't find that.
Growing up in the U.S., my parents, my 3 sisters, and I restored old homes. One of them here is a German stone farmhouse from 1790. The homes were a lot of fun to live in, and it made you feel as if you were living in history. A new house cannot possibly give the same charm. Moving to Russia, in Omsk, I learned about the Stalinki apartments, built in the Stalin era, and came to appreciate the high-quality work that went into these luxurious apartments. Unfortunately, in looking through the ones for sale, I found most of them had been destroyed by well-meaning designers and owners who wanted the latest fashion. They didn't understand that the classic designs and details cannot be replaced. However, recently, I stumbled upon a real gem. Location is a lot, and this Stalin flat is in the very center, one block away from the Uspensky Cathedral. It must have been built in 1938 for the very top of the elite party members. The outside is a one-of-a kind building. What is a real boon is that the owners were too poor, probably, to try any new-fashioned designs that would have killed the effect. Look at the art deco doors, transom lights, and old-fashioned setting for the kitchen. You simply cannot replace these. In Moscow, many of these apartments are valued and kept intact, and the value is great. Nothing big needs to be done architecturally. The price is almost 12 million on the listing, but for the center of Omsk, for an apartment this size with orginal doors, windows and floors, you simply can't find that.