Not being an architect by training, I think that when a capital of a nation state, or any city or town for that matter, is being renovated, the process and outcome of renovation depends for the most part on the level of professionalism, maturity, public-spiritedness, open-mindedness, and artistic culture of the national elite. In case of the construction boom in Yerevan, what outcome can we possibly expect from a ruling provincial Karabakhi clan and their nouveaux rich brown-nosers? Of course, Europhile or American-style concrete glass buildings untypical for the entire panorama and unique architectural design of Yerevan, built on the sites of destroyed old buildings after throwing impoverished people out.

For narrow-minded, self-centered, and profit-oriented municipal and state rulers, most of whom are not even Yerevatsis but have come from remote villages of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, demolition of architectural history of the city is much easier, and less costly, that conservation. In this context, the destruction of the Youth Palace, among many older buildings, so dear to every Yerevantsi has accentuated the sheer idiocy, intrinsic provincialism, and unruly wealth hunger of the unelected, unpopular elite.

I hope that one day, with God’s help, these elites, who are being hated by the overwhelming majority of Armenians, too will be demolished the way they desecrate the beautiful face of my city.