November 23 - On the Left Bank of Tbilisi

Marjanishvili Square

Marjanishvili Square from the entrance to the Metro

All the time (2000 into 2006) that we lived in Tbilisi, its left bank had been the neglected part of the city.  Yes, the big central markets are there, along with the train station, but except for a building project here or there, by and large the neighborhoods were stagnant.  Now, over the past two years, that is beginning to change.  Agmashenabeli Avenue, the Left Bank's major avenue has been given a major facelift.  Sure, the renovation has been done Georgian-style, and is only skin deep; the City's money has been spent in rebuilding the street, sidewalks and the faces of buildings.  It is then left up to buildings' owners to renovate the insides of the buildings themselves.

Marjanishvili Street looking back toward the Square

Archway added when restoration/renovation took place, left side of the office where David worked.

 David  had worked in 2005-06 in a building on Marjanishvili just barely visible above the facade seen above.  The original buildings had been built set back from the street, so there was room for the two-story shallow building shown.  You can walk around in back of it and still enter the shops behind.

The old UEDC office behind the new facade

 The Apollo Theater has always been one of our favorite buildings in Tbilisi.  Once beautiful, it has been disused and derelict ever since we first came to the city.  Now, at least, the outside has been restored (although its proud name is removed).  Here are two pictures: one from the street and the second looking in through the main entrance.
 

Apollo Theater's outside face

The Apollo Theater's decaying lobby

Another one of our favorite buildings is right around the corner from the Apollo Theater.  We had been told that over the years it had been used as a set for movies.  It used to have large trees in front but now no longer.  It has been carefully restored on the front and is now a museum!

This building has also been one of our favorites and as you can see in the photo above, renovation has started on the front, but not on the side!  This building's work was obviously rushed as plaster board (or something similar) was used to simulate stone on the front and has since been broken exposing the damaged original stone portion of the building.  We can only hope that this will be repaired/restored properly in the coming months.

 Walking back toward Marjanishvili Square one now enjoys paved sidewalks and newly planted trees.  The fresh paint will age over the coming months and years and this will not look at all artifical to the eye.  All-in-all this may have been a successful restoration/renovation.