Legal Battle Over Syktyvkar's Historic Zemstvo Hospital Heats Up

The Good Changes Charitable Foundation, affiliated with the Holy Ascension Church, has filed a lawsuit in the Arbitration Court of the Republic of Komi against the Regional Ministry of Komi. The organization is seeking to recover over 15 million rubles spent on renovating the former Uyezd Zemstvo Hospital, a regional cultural heritage site located at 11 Babushkina Street in Syktyvkar.

In its response, the ministry has asked the court to dismiss the claim, arguing that the contract was entered into voluntarily by both parties in their own interests and has not been deemed invalid.

Recall that in May 2022, renovation work began at the building on Babushkina Street, where a Russian Orthodox school was planned to open. Komiinform spoke with Father Ioann, the founder of the Good Changes Foundation, abbot of the Holy Ascension Church, and the driving force behind the project, who provided details on the ongoing and upcoming work.

The former maternity hospital in Syktyvkar had been transferred for use as an Orthodox school under a 49-year lease. The building had stood vacant for several years due to the need for major repairs, remained in state ownership of the Republic of Komi, and was classified as a cultural heritage site.

In September 2026, it became known that the Sunday school would not open in the building. The previous tenants had failed to comply with the restoration requirements for the heritage site, which is subject to preservation obligations. Violations were discovered during the renovation, leading to the termination of the lease agreement.

Plans were then made to convert the premises into office space, housing the Komi Ministry of Culture and the Resource Youth Center, but the concept changed again. A new custodian, the Komi Ministry of Social Development, took over the building, tasked with completing the interior work and opening a Center for Active Longevity. However, this never materialized.

The building at 11 Babushkina Street was constructed between 1908 and 1916. In 1916, it became home to the Zemstvo Hospital, and in 1922, following a decision by the Regional Health Department, it was converted into a 40-bed regional hospital with four departments. From 1938 to 1998, it operated as a city maternity hospital. A second floor, designed by architect F. A. Tentukova, was added in 1951. In the summer of 1998, the building was transferred to the Medical Faculty of the Komi branch of the Kirov State Medical Academy.