Builders of Azov: From Foundation to High-Rises

Azov, a city with a rich history, could not have developed without its outstanding builders who transformed it into a modern industrial and residential center. It was a difficult path, full of trials and hardships, but every brick, every detail, every project left its mark on the city’s history.

The Beginning of Large-Scale Construction

The city’s construction began in the late 1930s with the establishment of Plant No. 318 (Comintern Plant). This very plant, starting its activity during wartime, became the main engine for the development of not only industry but also the entire urban infrastructure.

By 1940, Azov already had a shipyard, fish processing plant, dairy plant, food processing plant, bakery, cooperage plant, various artels: named after Gorky, “Krasny Oktyabr”, “Azpromtara”, named after Chkalov, “Progress”, and others. The city had 7 schools, two vocational schools (FZU and FZO), and a school for the mechanization of agriculture, which trained tractor drivers, combine operators, and MTS mechanics. The city mainly built individual housing. There were no construction artels; there was only a repair and construction office under the city utilities department (Gorkommunhoz), which was mainly engaged in repairing schools, the hospital, the polyclinic, and a small amount of communal housing.

When the Great Patriotic War began, the work of all enterprises and artels in Azov did not stop; construction continued even under siege, bombing, and resource shortages. One of the boldest decisions was the conversion of a chapel into a command post. First, the floors were removed because a 150 cm thick reinforced concrete slab needed to be laid over the basement. To speed up the process, construction work had to be carried out in three shifts: two shifts were worked by sailors, and one by factory workers. Construction proceeded under continuous bombardment. People were wounded by shrapnel, but the work did not stop. The command post withstood all air attacks, despite suffering several direct hits.

Recovery and Growth

On February 7, 1943, the city of Azov was liberated from the occupiers, and on February 12, 1943, Gazhalov N.A. received a certificate granting him the right to organize his own construction office at Plant No. 318.

After the liberation of the city, its reconstruction began. There was a shortage of workers and building materials. Everything had gone to the needs of the front. The office base was located in a basement on the market territory. In July 1943, the Council of People’s Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the CPSU(b) adopted a resolution “On Urgent Measures for the Restoration of the Economy in the Areas Liberated from German Occupation,” on the basis of which Plant No. 318 was included in the list of enterprises to be restored. Construction Office No. 3 began restoring destroyed facilities, starting with a residential building on Moskovskaya Street, and then the district committee building, district executive committee, military commissariat, N.K.V.D., cinema, and railway station. Restoring the plant and residential and social facilities became a priority.

At the beginning of 1945, by order of the People’s Commissariat of Ammunition, construction began on a new Plant No. 318, now focused on producing mechanical profile ammunition. Builders faced a shortage of workers; there were few engineering personnel, and they had to work day and night. Everything was built on credit. Building materials from destroyed buildings were used. Despite this, active work began on erecting new workshops and facilities. In February 1946, Plant No. 318 was renamed Azovselselmash (Azov Agricultural Machinery Plant) under the Ministry of Agriculture. And in 1953, the Azovselselmash plant changed its subordination status, coming under the jurisdiction of the USSR Ministry of Machine Building, and was renamed p/o (Post Office Box) No. 1.

In the 1950s, many important facilities were built: new plant buildings, improved city infrastructure, and the construction of housing for workers began. During this period, active work was carried out to create water supply, sewerage, and electrical networks. Gasification proceeded slowly but steadily, contributing to the improvement of citizens’ lives.

Plants constantly exchanged plots, so the residential settlement arrays belonging to one plant, envisaged by the master plan in one block or district, did not materialize because there was a struggle between them (the plant workers) for places closer to the railway stations and the center – whoever managed to lay the foundations first became the owner.

Reconstruction and Modernization

From the 1960s, large-scale reconstruction of the city began. The plant continued to expand its capacity, building new workshops and social facilities, including residential buildings and kindergartens. For the plant, 12 buildings with a total area of 45,506 square meters and 10 residential buildings with 528 apartments totaling 30,370 square meters were built.

All facilities from 1961 to 1966 were built by younger personnel who graduated from vocational schools in 1962 and were assigned to the UNR-107 office as masons, plasterers, carpenters-concrete workers; many of them came to the management out of a sense of calling.

In August 1966, the plant p/o No. 1 was renamed the Azov Optical-Mechanical Plant (R-6916) (AO MZ). From 1967, the second stage of plant reconstruction began, continuing the construction of housing and social-cultural facilities.

By the 1970s, construction had become an integral part of the city’s life. The AO MZ plant became a major employer for thousands of people, and the new housing stock, roads, schools, and hospitals helped create comfortable living conditions.

One of the most notable events was the commissioning of large residential complexes and kindergartens. The construction of residential buildings on Karl Marx Street, Makarovsky Street, as well as the reconstruction of old buildings, significantly improved conditions for plant workers. The use of new construction technologies, such as expanded clay concrete blocks, accelerated the housing construction process.

Modern Achievements

In the 1980s, residential and industrial construction actively continued in Azov. In the first half of the decade, many residential buildings were commissioned. In 1983-1984, construction continued, and large nine-story buildings were commissioned during these years. Besides residential facilities, in 1987, the plant’s medical unit was built, and new residential buildings were commissioned, such as panel-built nine-story buildings on K. Marx and S. Razin Streets. The population grew, and housing construction increased. Demand for kindergartens, schools, and cultural leisure facilities increased. The city flourished and became greener thanks to squares, parks, and green spaces on city streets.

Also, in the late 1980s, construction companies continued developing the city’s infrastructure, including industrial facilities and social institutions. Between 1967 and 1984, industrial facilities with a total area of 124,184 square meters, along with plant infrastructure facilities, were built and commissioned.

By 1990, new residential complexes had grown on the sites of old ruined houses and factory buildings, housing thousands of people. Apartment buildings on Sevastopolskaya, Chekhova, and Kunnikova Streets became symbols of stability and resilience during a time of change.

The End of an Era

In the early 1990s, the situation changed. The plant, having undergone several stages of change and modernization, began to reduce production volumes and capacity. In 1996, “Azovstroy” was disbanded, and new enterprises emerged on its basis. However, construction did not stop. The plant continued to build residential buildings despite economic difficulties, and by the end of the 1990s, the city continued to develop, and the city’s builders did not rest on their laurels.

The builders of Azov, who labored for decades, created the city’s unique appearance, which rightly became an example of how labor and determination can overcome all difficulties. Thanks to their efforts, the city, which began as an industrial center, became a true home for thousands of people. Azov preserved its history, harmoniously combining modern residential areas and developed infrastructure with the heritage of the great labor of its builders.