There are seven real estate boards in Sevan tasked with maintaining the buildings, most constructed in the Soviet-era.
Gohar Mnatsakanyan saw a need for a place in Sevan where the town’s young people could gather in a relaxed atmosphere to talk, and yes, even hone their creative juices.
Even though thousands visit the lake every year, in summer and increasingly now in the winter as well, the 20,000 or so residents of the town have seen little of the tourist money trickle down to them.
Other than sharing the same name, the lake and the town really have nothing in common.
Architect Vigen Hakobyan says that Sevan should have become a major town over the years; a modern tourist center to service and welcome visitors. Hakobyan notes that, on the contrary, Sevan is gradually getting smaller.