Intra-quarter development as a unique component of urban environment in the St. Petersburg historical center

The living environment, which constitutes a significant part of the historical center development in St. Petersburg, is assumed to be a unique object of urban planning activity, since its potential is exceptional, but the strategy for further use has not yet been determined. The active usage of huge residential areas in the city center is hindered due to the uncertainty of property relations, some missteps in the area of the cultural heritage conservation system, defects in the system of land use and land tenure. Taking into consideration that the intra-quarter environment has been hardly ever studied, the authors propose using the stagnation period to «stock-take» the quarters of the St. Petersburg center. In connection with the envisaged orientation of the city transport system to increasing the role of pedestrian flows in the city center, the role of the unique system of passage yards is emphasized and it is proposed to take it into account as an integral component of the city center as UNESCO historical heritage object. The decisive role of intra-quarter communications for the formation of urban development characteristic types is substantiated. It is pointed out that in order to assess the mass development potential in the center of St. Petersburg, it is necessary to provide each historical quarter with a corresponding certificate and organize a monitoring of possible evolutions.