Arbat

Overview

Arbat is one of Moscow's oldest districts, covering Old and New Arbat, the lanes from Arbatskiye Vorota to Smolenskaya Square. The area preserves 19th-century rental houses, mansions of the Russian intelligentsia, and modern club residences. Arbat is a cultural centre: the Vakhtangov Theatre, the Pushkin Apartment Museum, and the Central House of Writers. Renovation demand is consistently high: a 3-bedroom project runs 7-12 million ₽.

Architecture and building types

19th-century rental houses from 1880-1910 are the dominant typology of Old Arbat. 1890-1910s brick, 3.6-4.5 m ceilings, stucco mouldings, cast-iron staircase railings, and Mettlach tile entrance halls. Mansions on Sivtsev Vrazhek and Povarskaya feature oak parquet, tiled stoves, and historic interiors. New Arbat offers 1960s panel buildings and club complexes from the 2000s-2010s. Premium new-builds on Bolshaya Dorogomilovskaya and in Plotnikov Lane use monolithic construction with 90-200 m² units, underground parking, and security.

Renovation permits and approvals

Arbat falls under the CAO protection zone. Reconfiguration approval by Moszhilinspektsiya is mandatory. The review takes 45 days, with projects costing 200-380 thousand ₽. 19th-century rental houses from 1880-1910 require a structural assessment of load-bearing elements and a technical report. Профмастер handles the approval end-to-end with inspection, project, submission, and follow-up.

Renovation prices in Arbat

Rough — 36 000-46 000 ₽/m². Capital — 56 000-78 000 ₽/m². Designer — 82 000-180 000 ₽/m². Prices reflect work with tall ceilings, stucco restoration, parquet restoration, and approvals. The premium tier includes climate control engineering, premium soundproofing, and high-end plumbing fixtures.

Renovation timeline

Rough — 1.5-2.5 months. Capital — 3-5 months. Designer — 5-9 months. 19th-century houses extend the schedule by 4-6 weeks because of approvals and restoration.

Профмастер in Arbat

Профмастер has completed 24 renovations on Arbat. On Sivtsev Vrazhek in 2024 we restored a 4-bedroom 110 m² apartment in a 1903 rental house: stucco restoration, oak parquet, tiled stove, approved bathroom merger, design supervision, 11.5 million ₽ budget, 6.5-month timeline. Our partners include the Naslediye restoration workshop and the Heritage architectural bureau.

Popular styles in Arbat

Classic with preserved historic details is the leading trend in rental houses. Art Deco with brass hardware and marble is popular in Povarskaya mansions. Modern classic dominates club new-builds on New Arbat. Loft with exposed services is rare but appears in reconstructed buildings.