Formation of the Street
Hrytsko Chubai Street, formerly Domahalychiv and later Academician Pavlov Street, developed at the turn of the 20th century within the expanding Pohulianka district. During the 1900s, the city implemented a policy of purchasing large private estates and dividing them into plots for dense rental housing, primarily targeting the urban middle class. The street received a regular linear layout and was almost entirely built up between 1905 and 1910. Architecturally, it is notable for its strong Viennese ornamental Secession character: ceramic panels, stained-glass windows, plaster ornamentation, and decorative masks. The Ivan Levynskyi firm played a leading role in the street’s development, combining architecture with decorative arts to create cohesive and expressive buildings. Thanks to this concentration of unified styles and high-quality design, the street has retained much of its original early 20th-century character.
About the Building at 3 Chubai Street
Architects and Style
This income house was built in 1905–1906, designed by Tadeusz Obmiński and constructed by the firm of Ivan Levynskyi. It was commissioned by brothers Józef and Aleksander Elster. The building is a three-story tenement in the ornamental Secession style and shares its plan and facade composition with the neighboring house at No. 1. The symmetrical facade is richly decorated with plaster grotesques, floral stucco motifs, and ornamental window surrounds, typical of Obmiński’s expressive Art Nouveau designs.
Who Was the Owner?
The original owners were the Elster brothers — Jewish entrepreneurs who invested in rental housing. The building functioned as a revenue-generating apartment house for middle-class tenants: clerks, professionals, artisans. It was nationalized during the Soviet period, and after the 1990s, most apartments were privatized.
What Does the Building Look Like?
The building features three stories, a high basement, and a symmetrical facade. Upper floor windows are decorated with stucco masks and ornamental frames. The facade design is sculpturally expressive. The entrance is marked by a rectangular portal. Inside, a stained-glass panel in the stairwell has been preserved, providing both light and artistic character. Interior elements such as terrazzo flooring, wooden transom doors, and wrought-iron railings may also remain intact.
Interesting Facts
-
The building was constructed simultaneously with No. 1 and forms an architectural pair with it.
-
Stucco masks are a signature feature of Obmiński’s decorative repertoire.
-
The stained-glass window in the stairwell reflects close collaboration between architects and artisans from the Levynskyi firm.
What Is There Now?
The building remains a residential multi-unit dwelling.
Bibliography
-
Biriulov, Yaroslav. Architecture of Lviv: Time and Styles
-
Vuytsyk, Volodymyr. Architectural Ensembles of Lviv
-
Melnyk, Ihor. The Streets of Lviv
-
*Central State Historical Archives of Ukraine in Lviv