ODESA, Ukraine — Studded with Mediterranean-style cottages and modest low-rise homes, the winding descent toward the Golden Shore public beach might be charming — if it weren’t for the huge concrete hulk thrusting itself into view from below.
Here, on the southern outskirts of Ukraine’s Black Sea port city, beachgoers grab snacks and souvenirs under the looming presence of the unfinished 15-story Aura Apart housing complex, a towering gray skeleton that critics say represents the rampant and often illegal development that is ruining Odesa’s characteristic charm.
Long cherished for its rich history, cultural eclecticism, and sprawling beaches, Odesa boasts a laid-back seaside atmosphere. In the historic center, regal buildings line leafy streets, with courtyards evoking the stories of Isaac Babel hidden on nearly every block. Down below, a maze of tunnels — one of the world’s largest underground labyrinths — snakes through the city.
“This project is the most lawless,” said Oleh Mykhaylyk, a local anti-corruption activist. “It violates absolutely everything.”
