Businessman Vasily Anisimov has proposed that the government move federal agencies to land belonging to him in Domodedovo, Vedomosti learned from acquaintances of his and advisers to the city of Moscow on the development of new territories, one of whom said it is likely that Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is considering the offer.
Anisimov has already met with Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, according to a government official, and he will discuss the question with First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov on Wednesday.
The Moscow Mayor's Office has also been instructed to look into the possibility of placing federal agencies in Domodedovo.
The Federation Council approved a change in the boundaries of Moscow and the Moscow region at the end of 2011, increasing the area of Moscow by 148,864 hectares. Domodedovo is not included in the new acreage. Anisimov is lobbying for his land to become part of Moscow, a City Hall official said.
A month ago, the Mayor's Office considered about 400 hectares belonging to Vadim Moshkovich's Masshtab company near the village of Kommunarka as one of the most likely locations for rehousing officials.
Only the main buildings occupied by federal authorities in Moscow take up about 400,000 square meters, Penny Lane Realty analysts estimate, and if they relocate, they will need much greater space. "It will cost huge money that the federal budget does not have," a Kremlin staff member said.
"The whole story with the new territories is strange and spontaneous," said Vera Kosareva, president of the city government's institute of economics. "From the point of view of city planning, there are no arguments for moving the federal government anywhere."
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