A Facelift at Last
for Singer in Russia
AFTER decades of neglect it appears that the old Russian Singer building in St Petersburg is getting a facelift by the authorities.
Zinger in cast-iron scroll work in the gate.
The cupola has scaffolding, but whether the work is part of a major rebuild or simply a shoring-up exercise isn't clear.
Certainly the whole building has suffered, including the once imposing entrance.
The pictures come from our Moscow correspondent Mary-Jo Ordway.
The picture at the top right shows the front of the building which faces a canal with a street running on either side.
The much chipped entrance (left) has the inscription "Kompaniya".
The picture on the right shows the side of the building which faces onto Nevskly Prospekt, the main commercial street in St Petersburg that runs from the train station with its link to Moscow down towards the Neva River.
When the Bolsheviks seized the building in 1917, it cost the company a fortune but, unlike most of the old historic Singer buildings, this one is at least still standing.
Update: Post Restoration, April 2004
Sign translates as "Company Singer"
