Questions Surround Construction of Presidential Library in Central Almaty

At the intersection of Satpayev and Nazarbayev Avenues in Almaty, a fenced-off site that long stood idle has recently transformed. The fence grew taller, now lined with quotes from Kazakh, Russian, and English writers.

Among them, one phrase stands out: “Presidential Library.” No further information is displayed. 

Orda.kz has investigated.

Presidential Library

Kazakhstan already had a presidential library — the Library of the First President in Astana — but in 2023, it was officially dissolved and replaced by a presidential center. So when the words “Presidential Library” appeared on a construction fence in Almaty, speculation arose that the institution was relocating from the capital.

At first, it seemed like a joke.

However, after Orda.kz sought details and encountered inconsistencies.

From Military Hospital to Construction Site

The site once housed a Ministry of Defense military hospital, demolished in 2014 after closing the previous year. For nine years, it remained a quiet, overgrown lot. The new five-meter-high fence, with literary quotes and strict access restrictions, now conceals a deep excavation and a steel framework.

Former Almaty Akim Yerbolat Dosayev confirmed plans for a library on the site in December 2024.

The original idea was to build a new library. But then it was decided to create a complex that would attract tourists. There would be a hotel for guests. And the library’s collection would reach a million copies,
 Dosayev said at the time.

However, he did not name the developer.

Project Details and Design

Information about the site appeared on the website of INK-Architects, the firm responsible for the design. The site covers 3.65 hectares. The description reads:

The library is more than just a repository of knowledge; it’s a fully-fledged cultural and community center. Its structure includes recreation areas, open terraces, and outdoor reading spaces with panoramic views. These create a comfortable, open atmosphere for visitors of all ages, combining leisure, self-education, and social interaction.

The architects add:

The building’s architectural design symbolically unites Almaty’s past and present. The façade’s curtain-wall ventilated system provides thermal comfort and durability, while enameled glass between structural joints gives it lightness and transparency.

Inquiries

To identify who was behind the project, Orda.kz sent formal requests to the Almaty Akimat, the State Property Committee, and the Ministry of Education, which oversees libraries. 

We ultimately received all the answers from the Akimat's office, as the Ministry of Education and the State Property Committee forwarded our inquiry to the Department of Urban Planning. They responded as follows:

In accordance with Order No. 750 of the Minister of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated November 30, 2015, 'On Approval of the Rules for Organizing Development and Obtaining Permits in Construction,' at the address: Almaty, Medeu District, east of Nazarbayev Avenue, south of Satpayev Street, based on the documents provided by the owner of the land plot, a permit was issued for the construction of a library with an aparthotel for visitors. A preliminary design (EP) was also approved.

The Almaty City Construction Department (hereinafter – the Department), having reviewed your letter No. 671 dated September 3, 2025, regarding the provision of information about the construction of a library at the intersection of Nazarbayev Avenue and Satpayev Street, informs you that the Department is not the client for the design and construction of the library at the above-mentioned address. In this regard, the provision of information is not possible.

But the key oversight body, it turned out, was elsewhere.

According to a report by Total.kz in August 2025, the project is supervised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs —specifically, its Investment Committee — since the “Presidential Library” and aparthotel are classified as an investment project.

The investor is Qazaq Stroy LLC, which has held ownership of the plot since 2016. The company is listed as the landowner on Kazakhstan’s public cadastral map, where the plot’s value is notably recorded as zero tenge.

Total.kz claimed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not provide them with any details regarding the library.

Government Resolution No. 13 of January 14, 2016, which the Ministry cited, is not available on the government website. We sent our request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and hope they will respond. 

Environmental Hearings and Documentation

Public hearings on the project reportedly took place in June 2024, according to ecoportal.kz, though attendance figures are not disclosed. Supporting documents, including an environmental impact statement, were titled

Curiously, one paragraph in the text refers to “planned business center buildings” and access from “Seifullin Avenue,” suggesting the document may have been copied from another project.

The Ministry of Ecology’s Information and Analysis Center accepted the submission.

The Developer and Its Links

Qazaq Stroy, the project’s developer, has been involved in several controversies. In 2023, the company drew public criticism for cutting down several trees in Almaty, promising to replace them with a park.

Media reports have linked the company to billionaire Nurlan Artykbayev, ranked 44th on Forbes Kazakhstan’s 2025 list. According to Kompra.kz, he has never been officially listed as a founder of Qazaq Stroy.

Since 2018, however, his wife, Nadezhda Artykbayeva, has been registered as one of its founders (stakeholders), as well as a co-founder of Exclusive Qurylys, another firm associated with the family.

The company’s director since 2017, Dmitry Li, also manages three other entities: Lead Company LLC, Accd Consulting Group LLC, and Eurasia Stroy LLP.

The latter’s founder is the Dutch-registered Noord Holland Trading Company BV, previously linked to oligarch Vladimir Kim and former president Nursultan Nazarbayev.

From this perspective, the name “Presidential Library” — especially given its location on Nazarbayev Avenue — takes on additional context.

Questions

In 2023, the Main Military Prosecutor’s Office announced that land under a former military hospital had been returned to state ownership. Some outlets identified this as the same plot at Satpayev and Nazarbayev.

However, the prosecutor’s statement referred to another site, located in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau.

Original Author: Igor Ulitin