Investment projects

Over the past few years both Russian and foreign investors have expressed growing interest in Moscow. The total amount on investments in Moscow’s economy amounted to $413.169bn by the beginning of January 2010.

Foreigners invested a total of $200,5m in the Russian capital’s construction sector, where the largest amount of work is being carried out.

Massive construction work is being carried out in Moscow at the moment. According to the city’s general development plan, almost 90m square meters of housing are to be constructed in Moscow through 2025. Due to a consistently rising number of cars in Moscow, the city’s Mayor Yuri Luzhkov considers the construction of roads and garages a priority for municipal authorities. Moscow currently boasts 1,300 kilometers of motorways and 280 kilometers of underground lines. According to a general plan, another 2,000 motorways and 380 kilometers of underground lines are to be built by 2025. One of the major road construction projects in the city at the moment is the Fourth Ring Road stretching for 74 kilometers, consisting primarily of tunnels and flyovers.

Moscow’s authorities also pay close attention to the development of public transportation. Construction of the new railway station "Kalanchevskaya" is to be launched this year next to the Kalanchevskaya station. It will unite three airports: Sheremetyovo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo.

As of today, the Moscow International Business Center Moscow City is the largest investment project in the sphere of real estate not only in Moscow, but also in Russia as a whole, and it is currently in an active stage of construction. The majority of facilities are expected to be launched in 2010: Imperia Tower, City of Capitals, Federation Tower, Mercury City Tower. The Moscow International Business Center Moscow City is a unique construction complex, in which all aspects of the future business and cultural district have been taken into consideration — everything from underground communications, transportation and energy supplies, to the creation of a unique atmosphere in business, public, hotel and recreational areas.

The result of the necessity to develop tourist infrastructure was new hotels. Some 270 hotels are currently operating in the Russian capital, with the total number of rooms reaching 70,000. Famous international hotel chain operators have opened their hotels in Moscow in recent years: Ritz-Carlton Moscow, Swissotel Krasnye Holmy, Courtyard Marriott, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Sushchevskaya, Holiday Inn Sokolniki, Korona-Intouristo. Furthermore, such famous hotel operators as Mandarin, Four Seasons and Hilton have recently come to the Moscow market for the first time. The city is projected to see an increase in the number of hotels to 535 by 2025, and they will be located not only in the centre of the city, but also along the capital’s key roads. The multifunctional hotel and shopping complex Metropolis-2 (with a total area of nearly 250,000 square metres) is planned to be built on the Leningradskoye Shosse (next to the Voykovskaya metro station). Meanwhile, the famous hotel Moskva next to the Red Square will be opened by late 2011.

Much attention is paid to the preservation of the capital’s cultural heritage and the creation of a well-developed multifunctional tourist infrastructure in Moscow’s historical centre. The city’s radial and ring layout is a truly remarkable style of urban development in Russia and one of the world’s greatest architectural achievements. There are currently four ring roads in use in the city: Boulevard, Sadovoye, Third and the Moscow Automobile Ring Road (MKAD). Moreover, the fifth ring road is currently under construction — Moscow’s Golden Ring Road — as well as a tourist and recreational area with the same name. As part of the project, which unites more than 200 monuments of cultural heritage, massive reconstruction works are being carried out. New tourist routes are also being developed. As a result, the Russian capital will get a pedestrian zone with the Kremlin as its centre.

Moscow is actively developing and provides extensive possibilities for beneficial investments. It also creates a stable job market and new jobs. Sustaining the city’s investment attractiveness is the Moscow City Government’s key priority.

Useful links

How to Become an Investor 
Investment Programs 
The Moscow City Competition Policy Department (Tender Committee) 
Moscow investment activity 
Invest In Moscow . A specialized portal of the Moscow City Government on investments in the Russian capital’s economy.