Reports on Environment and Urban Development for Alaverdy

GEO ALAVERDI: ENVIRONMENT AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER 2. SOCIO – ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONTEXT (PRESSURES)

1. Historical assessment of urbanization Alaverdi is an area with rich history, which is re fl ected in a number of historical-cultural monuments located within the territory. The copper mines of the area have always been in the center of attention of many foreign companies. In the 19 th century already, the French constructed a small factory there, which was later reconstructed by the Greeks. The Tbilisi-Alexandropol railroad, which passes by the left bank gorge of Debed River, has been constructed in 1899. After that, the fi nal processing facilities for copper were constructed in Debed valley, where Alaverdi Copper Molybdenum Plant is currently located. The village located in the gorge of Debed River, was named “Manes”. In 1912 that village, as well as the upper residence thereof (by Alaverdi and the factory “Piritis”), had a permanent population of 3235 people, except the workers of the plant. In the years of the World War I, the number of residents had decreased to 2711 (in 1915). The mining activity and industrial development in Alaverdi started in 1960s, when very large investments were made by the Soviets for the purposes of reconstruction and operationalization of the plant. The fi nal main design of Alaverdi City was made in “HayPetNakhagits” scienti fi c engineering institute, in 1989, according to which the number of people living in the city before the earthquake was 26,9 thousand, including 0,7 thousand in Akner village, located within the administrative territory. The residential portion of the territory of the city was 355 thousand m 2 , including 284,4 thousand m 2 of State owned and 70,6 thousand m 2 of private houses. The average level of residential (apartment) deposit is 12,9 thousand people. During the earthquake 17,6 thousand m 2 of residential areas were destroyed, of which 8,6 of state owned and 9,0 private. 120 thousand m 2 needed urgent rehabilitation. According to the main design, the population for 2011 year was planned to be 37,0 thousand. In the period of 1989-1991 it was planned to construct another 56 thousand m 2 of residential space, 37,0 thousand of which in the state owned sector and 18,0 thousand in the private. The average residential apartments occupied were planned to increase to 14,0 thousand people. In the second phase, 1991-1996, it was planned to construct 84,0 thousand square meters of space, 69,0 thousand of which in the State owned and 15,0

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CHAPTER 2. SOCIO – ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONTEXT

Environmental Knowledge for Change