Smolny Approves Zenit Training Base Design Near Udelny Park

The Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture of St. Petersburg has approved the exterior design of the future Zenit training complex. The facility will be located on the territory of the former sports school «Olympic Hopes», adjacent to Udelny Park.

According to the approved parameters, the height of the buildings will not exceed 20 meters (65 ft). Lighting masts are planned to be installed at a height of about 25.5 meters (84 ft) — at the level of existing supports in the area. The total area of the complex will be more than 3,800 square meters. It will be used for city sports competitions and will become the main training ground for Zenit academy teams. The first images of the project appeared in open access in the summer of 2025.

The necessary approvals for the start of construction were obtained earlier: in July, the committee for the protection of monuments also issued a positive conclusion. The construction of the complex is planned for 48 months. After completion of the work and commissioning, the facility will become the property of St. Petersburg.

The preparatory stage on the site has already been completed: old buildings were dismantled in 2023. Previously, the sports school «Olympic Hopes» operated here, whose buildings were in unsatisfactory condition for a long time, although local residents actively used them.

As stated by the head of the Primorsky District administration, after opening, the base will be accessible not only to Zenit athletes but to all city residents. The construction of this facility is part of the plan for the development of sports infrastructure, provided for by the agreement between the government of St. Petersburg and Gazprom, signed at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in 2022.