Armenian Estates offers unusual architecture – and a touch of history – in Delaware County
Almost everyone knows what colonial and craftsman homes look like. Architecture buffs probably know prairie or Queen Anne-style homes as well.
Armenian? Maybe not.
But travelers along Worthington Road in Genoa Township have received a tutorial on Armenian home design — with a bit of Armenian history thrown in — as central Ohio businessman Ty Safaryan and his family have built “Armenian Estates.”
More:“If genocide is denied, genocide continues”: 108 years later, Columbus’ Armenians remember
“Armenian Estates was developed to honor our Armenian heritage and roots,” said Safaryan, owner of several central Ohio businesses, including Twins Buick GMC and Fine Line Auto Body. “The name reflects our pride in our cultural background and serves as a tribute to the history and traditions of the Armenian people.”
Work started on Armenian Estates more than two years ago, but the development has come into sharper focus this summer. Two imposing homes and a pool house stand on the 20-acre lot, which is marked by a large sign and gate and several statues of Armenian historical figures along the entrance.
“Most are kings and queens of Armenia, the most famous being King Tigran who ruled from 95 – 55 BC (and) who also happens to be who I was named after,” Safaryan said. “Vardan Mamikonian was a military leader who fought the first religious war defending Christianity against the Persians in 451 AD. All these statues are replicas of statues that are in Armenia.”
Set well off the road are the two homes, a pool house and the pool, also guarded by several statues.
“The pool house is a replica of the Temple of Garni, which was built in 77 AD,” Safaryan said. “We have a statue of David of Sassoun by the pool seen riding a horse. Hayk Nahapet is in the middle of the property holding a bow, who is the legendary founder of the Armenian nation. To the left of Hayk, there is a statue of Mother Armenia, which symbolizes peace through strength, and Mother Armenia Gyumri to the right.”
The two homes are characterized by a formal appearance that draws on both Western and Middle Eastern traditions.
With a white masonry exterior, the two-story homes have flat, or largely flat, roofs; formal entrances featuring a carport topped with a terrace; a belt course (a horizontal row of raised masonry between the first and second floors); and largely symmetrical designs with rows of rounded windows.
“What was most important in the design of the property was to give it an Armenian look,” said Safaryan, who emigrated as a young man from Armenia in the mid-1990s.
“We had ideas of how we wanted to design each house according to our tastes, with the help of interior and exterior designers and architects; thus, the end result is having two homes that both are similar in size but look very different,” said Safaryan, who credited the Granville contractors Terra Nova Builders as “instrumental” to the project.
Each house is more than 12,000 square feet, plus more than 6,000 square feet of finished lower level space and more than 2,000 square feet of garage space, according to plans submitted to the Delaware County Building Safety department. Inside, both homes are notable for their grand formal entrance with curved double staircases.
Two more houses are planned for the development, which Safaryan, who is active in Armenian American affairs, plans to use for Armenian events.
“We teach our children that we are very fortunate to live in the greatest country in the world, but to also be proud of our Armenian heritage and culture, and the way we designed the property will remind them and our future grandchildren of it,” he said. “Armenian Estates was built for a place of gathering for the Armenian community as we hope to strengthen and grow in the future.”
EBRD and EU support MSMEs in Armenia
By Loretta Martikian
- EBRD and EU sign first loan under EFSD+ Financial Inclusion Guarantee Programme with Acba Bank
- Focus on supporting smaller businesses in rural regions
- Funding will facilitate long-term loans in local currency
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union (EU) are helping improve access to finance for Armenian micro, small and medium-sized sized enterprises (MSMEs) through Acba Bank. This collaboration sees the EBRD extending a loan equivalent to US$ 15 million in Armenian drams to help Acba Bank reach more businesses, especially those located in rural areas. The funding will also address the growing demand for longer-term local currency financing.
Supported by the EU, the project operates within the framework of the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) guarantee programme. This initiative introduces an innovative first loss risk cover, currently available in the southern and eastern Mediterranean region (Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon and the West Bank and Gaza) and eastern Europe and the Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine). The EFSD+ financial inclusion programme is designed to empower MSMEs, fostering their competitiveness and growth. By offering effective financial tools and expertise, the programme aims to drive development and create jobs.
The official signing of the loan agreement took place in Yerevan with Acba CEO Hakob Andreasyan and the EBRD’s First Vice President Jürgen Rigterink formalising the commitment.
Mr Rigterink said: “We are pleased to step up our support for MSMEs in Armenia together with our financial and institutional partners. A strong private sector is among the EBRD’s priorities in the country and the funding will support more private businesses in rural areas. Making the funding available in drams will protect borrowers from foreign currency-related risks.”
Lawrence Meredith, Neighbourhood East and Institution Building Director at the European Commission, commented: “We welcome this EU-backed loan agreement between the EBRD and Acba Bank, which will provide new opportunities to MSMEs across the country, especially in rural areas. Supporting a sustainable, innovative and competitive economy is among the five flagship initiatives of the EU’s Economic and Investment Plan in Armenia. As we address the pressing need for extended local currency funding, we pave the way for a more resilient and innovative future for Armenia’s business ecosystem.”
Hakob Andreasyan, CEO of Acba Bank, added: “Acba Bank and the EBRD have a rich history of partnership going back to 2003. Our partnership has continuously expanded over the years through different programmes directed at supporting the Armenian economy, particularly during economic shocks or downturns. The EBRD has been always innovative in its programmes. We are delighted to join our forces once again with our partners, the EBRD and the EU, to continue to support local MSMEs in terms of their current liquidity needs and long-term investments, especially in rural Armenia.’’
This project also contributes to the implementation of the EU’s Economic and Investment Plan (EIP) in the Eastern Partnership countries. One of the key flagship priorities of the EIP for Armenia is to promote a sustainable, innovative and competitive economy by directly supporting up to 30,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country.
Acba Bank, a long-standing partner of the EBRD since 2003, is one of the leading banks in Armenia, with a strong position in lending to agriculture and MSMEs, especially in rural areas. With its network of 64 branches in all regions of Armenia, it can reach out to numerous clients in diversified sectors.
The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Armenia. The Bank has invested close to €2 billion across 206 projects in the country to date, where it is supporting private sector development and the transition to a sustainable, green economy.
https://www.ebrd.com/news/2023/ebrd-and-eu-support-msmes-in-armenia.html
Media Advisory – Nagorno-Karabakh Hearing 9/6/23 Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF
AMERICA
1032 15TH STREET, N.W. •
SUITE 416 • WASHINGTON, DC 20005 • 202.393.3434
MEDIA
ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Taleen Babayan
Director of Communications
201.693.3453
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission will
hold a special hearing on the ongoing blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Lachin Corridor on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 from 1 pm to 3 pm on Capitol Hill.
Online streaming will be available here.
Luis Moreno Ocampo, the former Prosecutor of the International
Criminal Court, released his personal
At the hearing Mr. Ocampo will
present his Expert Opinion on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, and David Philips,
Director of the Program on Peace-building and Human Rights at Columbia
University, will testify on facts relevant to gathering the intent of the
government of Azerbaijan, including documentation available on the web page “
When: Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 1:00
pm EST.
Where: The event will be held on Capitol
Hill and will be available for streaming online.
Who: The Tom Lantos Human Rights
Commission Hearing featuring Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), host, Rep. Jim
McGovern (D-MA), host, Luis Moreno Ocampo, former Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court,
and David L. Philips, Director of the Program on Peace-building and Human Rights
at Columbia University.
Interviews can be arranged with Armenian
Assembly of America Executive Director Bryan Ardouny – who recently traveled to
Armenia and observed the check-point at the Lachin Corridor – by contacting
Taleen Babayan at [email protected].
The Armenian Assembly of America, established in 1972, is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and
awareness of Armenian issues. The organization aims to strengthen U.S.-Armenia
relations, promote Armenia’s democratic development and economic prosperity,
and seeks universal affirmation of the Armenian Genocide by way of research,
education, and advocacy.
MS-Word 2007 document
Armenpress: Armenian border positions in Gegharkunik come under Azeri gunfire
09:38, 5 September 2023
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. Armenian military outposts in the Gegharkunik Province came under Azerbaijani gunfire in the early hours on Tuesday, the Armenian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
The Azerbaijani forces used small arms shortly after midnight to target Armenian outposts near the village of Kut.
“On September 5, between 12:05 a.m. and 12:20 a.m.., Azerbaijani armed forces units fired from fire arms towards the Armenian combat outposts nearby Kut (Gegharkunik [province]),” the Armenian Ministry of Defense said.
Egypt’s Culture Minister invited to Women Political Leaders (WPL) Democracy, Peace and Security Summit in Yerevan
10:45, 5 September 2023
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. Armenia plans to organize Armenian Culture Days in Egypt in 2024, the Armenian Ambassador to Egypt Hrachya Poladyan told Egypt’s Minister of Culture Neveen Youssef Al-Kilany during a meeting on September 4.
During the meeting Poladyan conveyed to the Egyptian culture minister the invitation to attend the Women Political Leaders (WPL) Democracy, Peace and Security Summit in Yerevan in October 2023. Al-Kilany expressed interest to participate in the event.
Poladyan and Al-Kilany praised the good traditions of cooperation in culture between the two friendly countries and expressed readiness to make joint efforts to further develop partnership, the foreign ministry said in a readout. In this regard, Ambassador Poladyan attached importance to updating and amending the legal-contractual framework between the two countries. The Armenian Ambassador and the Egyptian culture minister attached importance to intensifying mutual visits of official delegations and cultural groups for further enhancing cooperation.
Austrian lawmakers call on Azerbaijan to open Lachin Corridor in line with ICJ order
11:08, 5 September 2023
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 3, ARMENPRESS. Two lawmakers representing the major political parties of Austria, the Greens and the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), which comprise the ruling coalition, have called on Azerbaijan to reopen the Lachin Corridor.
Austrian Member of Parliament Ewa Ernst-Dziedzic, The Greens’ spokesperson for foreign policy, has released a statement calling on the EU and the international community to ramp up pressure.
“The escalation in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan continues constantly. We are receiving reports of an impending famine if the situation doesn’t urgently change. Nagorno-Karabakh has been cut off of supplies for months, with devastating consequences, such as malnutrition, miscarriages, absence of medication. Now there’s an urgent need to return to dialogue between the two parties to the conflict and find a solution to swiftly mitigate the disastrous humanitarian situation,” Ewa Ernst-Dziedzic said in a statement.
She added that the EU and the international community should increase pressure and that Azerbaijan must open the Lachin Corridor in line with the ICJ ruling. “We can’t tolerate when the civil society becomes a toy for politics and starves because of political reasons. As long as this is the case, Azerbaijan should not be a trade partner for the EU,” she added.
“We can’t tolerate the explicit destruction of the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh, and therefore we must use all levers to prevent it,” the Austrian lawmaker added.
“Despite the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the South Caucasus developments shouldn’t be ignored”, she said.
SPÖ’s spokesperson for foreign policy, MP Petra Bayr said in a statement that the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is disastrous and 120,000 people are cut off from the outside world by Azerbaijan. “There, near the gates of Europe, a crime against human rights is taking place,” Petra Bayr said.
Noting the ICJ ruling ordering Azerbaijan to open the Lachin Corridor, Petra Bayr said she expects that the EU will finally discuss the situation.
“The fact that responsible decision-makers in international organizations are silent is absolutely unforgivable. I expect Foreign Minister Schallenberg to address this crime in the EU and to bring it to the agenda as soon as possible. The National Council asked him to do so as early as last year.”
Bayr said she would send a parliamentary inquiry to Austrian FM Schallenberg asking him to present what measures the Austrian government has taken for opening humanitarian aid supplies through Lachin Corridor and what questions he’s raised during his meetings with his Azeri counterpart.
ICRC evacuates 9 patients from blockaded Nagorno-Karabakh
12:26, 5 September 2023
STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Tuesday facilitated the transfer of 9 patients requiring urgent treatment from blockaded Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) to Armenia ,the Nagorno-Karabakh healthcare authorities said in a statement.
The ICRC plans to transport another two patients who’ve completed treatment in Armenia back to Nagorno-Karabakh later today.
All patients were accompanied by their attendants.
24 children are hospitalized in the Arevik clinic in Nagorno-Karabakh. 7 of them are in neonatal and intensive care.
Another 90 patients are hospitalized in Nagorno-Karabakh’s Republican Medical Center. 3 are in intensive care (1 is critically-ill.)
Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. The ICJ reaffirmed its order on 6 July 2023.
Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations.
Armenia names new ambassadors to Poland, Sweden and Iraq
13:17, 5 September 2023
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. President Vahagn Khachaturyan has appointed Misak Balasanyan as Armenia’s new ambassador to Iraq, the presidency reported Tuesday.
The President signed the order at the advice of the Prime Minister.
With another decree, Armenia’s Ambassador to Belgium Anna Aghajanyan was relieved of duties and appointed Ambassador to Sweden.
Meanwhile, Armenia’s Ambassador to Sweden Alexander Arzumanyan was relieved of duties and appointed Ambassador to Poland.
Armenia’s Ambassador to Poland Samvel Mkrtchyan was relieved of duties.
U.S. Congressmen extend Independence Day congratulations to Nagorno-Karabakh Speaker of Parliament
14:01, 5 September 2023
STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. United States Congressmen Frank Pallone, Gus Bilirakis, Adam Schiff and David Valadao have congratulated the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Speaker of Parliament David Ishkhanyan on his appointment and the 32nd anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence of Artsakh Republic.
In the letter, the U.S. Congressmen said they continue to push the Biden Administration to use every diplomatic tool available to halt the Aliyev regime’s ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh.
“We write to congratulate you and the people of the Republic of Artsakh on the 32nd Anniversary of your independence. The United States Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues offers our support and commitment to Artsakh on this celebration of over three decades of independence. We continue to stand with your people as they show incredible resilience in the face of widespread shortages of food, medical supply, and other essentials caused by Azerbaijan’s blockade of Lachin Corridor. To that end, we continue urging the United States to commit meaningful aid to the displaced families from Artsakh currently in Armenia and to those who bravely remain in your country. We also continue to push the Administration to use every diplomatic tool available to halt the Aliyev regime’s illegal actions that clearly fit the definition of ethnic cleansing. This ongoing humanitarian crisis has demonstrated the dire need for international actors to act and put pressure on Aliyev to return to direct negotiations with the democratically elected officials of Artsakh. Artsakh must be able to directly participate in negotiations regarding its future status and secure a durable and lasting peace. We remain committed to advocating for official engagement between the United States government and your administration, and we look forward to working with you to build on Artsakh’s transformation over the last three decades in the face of so many challenges. Please accept our sincerest congratulations on this important occasion. Please also accept our congratulations on your recent election as President of the National Assembly of the Republic. We wish you and colleagues in the Artsakh Parliament every success as your nation continues to strive for a safe, prosperous, and democratic future. We offer our full support to your country,” the congressmen said in the letter.