Without continued confrontation between the authorities in New York and the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who wanted to realize their aristocratic habits, creating three homes belonging to him in the Upper East Side, one house. Back in April, Committee for the Conservation of Architectural Heritage of New York spoke out against such architectural experiments, calling them "a new level of blatant consumption" and indicate that the building "will destroy a large part of the history of New York." But in June, the commission on the re-meeting could not resist the charm of the Russian oligarch and reconsidered its decision on the restructuring of the project, which will cost Abramovich worth over $ 80 million.

FROM Abramovich asked scruples

Russian tycoon, owner of the London football club "Chelsea" and the Eclipse yacht ( "Eclipse"), which is periodically rented Hollywood celebrities, royals and other the VIP, was going to be built in three bought up them in the historic district of New York buildings, the overall rear facade of bronze and glass, as well as a swimming pool, sauna, internals courtyard conservatory. Facades of buildings, in 1923 reconstructed in neofederalnom style (looks like a government agency), the architects employed by Abramovich, going back "English look", making the house such as it was built originally in the 1887-1889 years. However, the Commission for protection of monuments deemed that such reconstruction "will destroy a large part of the story." Committee Member Michael Goldblum said that such a restructuring would lead to a predominance of "the monotony of authenticity." The representative of the urban architecture of the Company Christabel Gough called the potential reconstruction of "unjustified destruction."

"The connection of three separate houses in one - it's a whole new level. We can only hope that the owner of the buildings will treat them with delicacy ", - said Kelly Carroll of the Board of historic districts. According to her, when a person "buys the story," it's not just about "dollars and cents." "You also need a sensible strategic management, and this proposal is anything but not to them"- He added Carroll. A historic legacy at Columbia University Andrew Dolkart said that the potential approval of the project "would create a terrible precedent."

But the ban has not stopped Russian businessman, whose fortune Forbes magazine this year estimated at $ 8.1 billion and put Abramovich's 157-th place in the ranking of the richest people in the world. For the purchase of the three buildings, located on 75th Street between Madison and Fifth Avenue, a Russian businessman spent more than $ 78 million. And the buyer was not known to the owners. "If they knew who it was, and for what purpose are bought at home, they would require a lot more money," says the New York Post.

This - not the first attempt to rebuild megaosobnyak Abramovich in a historic building in the center of New York. US media reported that in 2013 he was going to buy for $ 75 million 22-apartment house at 5th Avenue, 828, previously owned by construction magnate Howard Ronson. That would be a record for the purchase of this type of housing, called cooperative (co-op). But the widow of American billionaire Angelica IVANTSOV blockedand trade. She even going to sue the British island of Guernsey on the board of trustees of inheritance Ronson, who, in her opinion, too early has agreed to sell to Abramovich home. "The Russian rich man was willing to pay much more," - he said in an interview IVANTSOV the New York Post.

As a result, she stayed with her, and Abramovich's team to refocus attention on the three townhouse: 11, 13, 15E on 75th Street. Failure Commission on Monuments and construction department in New York to accept the original reconstruction plan has not stopped the architect Stephen Wang, who promised that all comments of the commission will be taken into account in the new version. And at the second attempt "good", finally received. Application of the Swiss architectural office Herzog & de Meuron, Abramovich hired in June, was approved by the Commission for the protection of historical monuments.

First of all, it decided to retain the original appearance of the facade. From the street, the house will look like three separate buildings. Behind it will be built unusual wall of glass and bronze. A flowing water vertical pools and boulders surrounded by greenLawn remind landscape of Central Park in New York. The reconstruction megadoma Abramovich planned to spend $ 6 million. The same people who called in April this architectural project "blatant example of consumption", in June praised its new version.

The representatives of Abramovich does not comment on any initial unanimous rejection of the commission, nor the same unanimous approval of the new version of the project. The billionaire did not attend the meetings of the commission.

To start work, will obtain the consent of the Department of Construction of New York, in March rejected the initial draft megadoma Abramovich. Now, after the consent of historians and architects, the chances of this are very high.

blatant consumerism

This phenomenon Tornsteyn Veblen in the late XIX century, called "conspicuous consumption." Beneath it he understood wasteful spending on certain goods or services are not so much because of their usefulness, as well as show, with a primary purpose to demonstrate the wealth of their own. The desire to "show off", "be luchshim "," taste victory "not through talent and through the purchase of goods - a frequent phenomenon for isteroidov and mediocre people, but not only. This temptation covers most ordinary consumers. Veblen coined a special term «invidiousconsumption», indicating consumption of a deliberate purpose to cause a feeling of envy.

Three years ago, Roman Abramovich forced to talk about himself the Big Apple when his yacht Eclipse (at that time the largest yacht in the world) by as much as two months, moored on the banks of the Hudson River on the 90th pier, close to the center of Manhattan. It is believed the US media, the reason for the unexpected visit, which refused to name the port authority of New York, referring to the point of non-disclosure conditions of the contract, was the birth of his daughter Daria Zhukova and Roman Abramovich. "When it came time to give birth, Zhukov just landed and went to New York Presbyterian Hospital," - writes the magazine Forbes. A native New Yorker Leah Lou Abramovich is considered a US citizen. Like her brother, Aaron Alexander, who was born in Los Angeles in December 2009.

The billionaire paid $ 112 thousand. Only the parking at the pier. Total costs - fuel, food, maintenance of salary and "Eclipse" crew, etc. - Amounted to approximately $ 500 thousand per week, says Tim Thomas, Boat International magazine editor.. Forbes then congratulated Roman Abramovich "the most expensive in the world of birth."

Digression: the construction of "Eclipse" yacht at a cost of $ 500 million on the ship there are two swimming pools, two helipads, as well as a mini-submarine.. The yacht is equipped with a length of 162.5 meters and its own missile defense system, bulletproof windows around the personal owner's cabin. With all the technological gadgets and luxuries it cost more than $ 1.2 billion.

Four years of Abramovich's yacht had no equal in the world, is for the president of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan is not built "Azzam" - seventeen and a half meters long, "Eclipse." By the way, the biggest yacht in the world (15 917 tons, 3809 square meters of living space) has recently acquired the shareholder of the London football club "Arsenal" Russian billionaire born in UzbekistanAlisher Usmanov. The yacht is called "Dilbar" Usmanov gave her a new name, "She" - in honor of his mother.

Between Madonna and Bloomberg

Historic buildings in Manhattan - the perfect home for the representatives of the "golden percent." Buying up neighboring apartments and houses in Manhattan, extending a place to live, the singer Madonna and former city mayor Michael Bloomberg. Not far from the future housing Abramovich in 2009, Madonna has bought a three townhouse at 81 th Street East Site for $ 32 million. 1.7 million invested in reconstruction and settle down to a complex of buildings of the fifth floor. The works lasted one and a half years. Who I am in the house 13 bedrooms, several living rooms, studio, gym, two garages and a garden. Abramovich - more expensive and bigger. According to "New York Post", citing sources related to the project of Abramovich, reduced three houses in one case in his work and will require huge expenses.

The former mayor, billionaire Michael Bloomberg, has bought four of the six apartments, entrances (called "units"), four blocks from Abramovich to 79th Street andArt Street, with its 12.5 thousand sq. feet away to 18.225 thousand. Abramovich.

As a realtor Sabrina Saltiel said: "This is the trend - everything growing in size. In the case of New York - a lot of money put into the race for the limited number of available suitable housing. "

A suitable housing for themselves the Russian elite for many years it was believed Manhattan and even Miami. However, the recent decision by the US Justice Department to inspect luxury housing accessories for combating money laundering and the call from the top to the representatives of the Russian political and financial beau monde to give up real estate abroad and transfer foreign assets to their homeland may "change the concept."

Tests began in March and will last until August. US federal authorities for the first time require realtors to disclose the names hidden behind transactions in cash. In Manhattan will need to disclose details of the transaction, if it is more than $ 3 million, in Miami - $ 1 million according to "Novaya Gazeta". According to the company PropertyShark, in the second half of last year in Manhattan in 1045 were sold Obprojects worth more than $ 3 million.