Business services and restructuring of urban space in Moscow

The locational pattern of business services in Moscow is analyzed in the context of established concepts of BS location in the largest cities of the world and existing views on urban change in transitional economies. The typically post-Soviet elements of this pattern are emphasized as well as the way they affect urban change generally. The empirical part of the paper comprises a detailed analysis of BS locations in Moscow and an attempt to explain the geography of business districts in a broad historical and political context. The theoretical discussion is focused on similarities and differences of BS spatial structures in Moscow with those of other world capitals.