Residents of a residential building near the construction site of the Bolshoi Smolensky Bridge in St. Petersburg are raising concerns about the deteriorating condition of their building. They report that a crack on the facade has widened, and promised repairs to emergency balconies have not been completed.

The crack on the facade of the house has reportedly broken the beacon installed to monitor it and has become longer. Residents hope that only the plaster is affected, but a more detailed examination is needed to assess the situation.

Despite promises from the Nevsky District Administration to repair the balconies by October 15, 2025, no work has been done. Residents have been fearing the collapse of the balconies for months.

A September examination concluded that the balconies are in a limited operational state, while the monolithic reinforced concrete slabs between the consoles are in an emergency condition. The report stated that after 76 years without major repairs, the load-bearing structures of the balconies have reached a high degree of physical deterioration, posing a threat of spontaneous collapse. The report also recommended installing beacons on the hairline crack in the facade wall and monitoring it.

Residents were surprised by Vice-Governor Evgeny Razumishkin’s response to a request from State Duma deputy Mikhail Romanov, stating that the emergency condition of the balconies had not been confirmed. The response also indicated that the repairs should be carried out as part of the current repair by the management company. Residents suggest that the department may be unaware of the emergency condition due to outdated documentation from 2022.

The district administration reportedly did not inform the Housing Committee about the condition of the facades and balconies, preventing the work from being included in the short-term capital repair program.

Residents also report additional issues, including burst heating pipes, black mold, a leaking central heating tank, and windows that are difficult to open.

The condition of the building has previously been reported, and the head of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, has expressed interest in the matter.

Construction of the Bolshoi Smolensky Bridge began in February 2024, with the foundation stone laid at the end of 2023.