How Russia got its own version of ‘American suburbs’ (PHOTOS) American village in Nizhny Novgorod. GAZ Museum of History Traditionally American elements of urban planning have become something of a landmark in some Russian cities. Although many buildings have fallen into disrepair, a number are still inhabited to this day. Some have even been turned into luxury accommodations. Imagine a typical American suburban scene: two-story houses with lawns and yards for Sunday barbeques, white picket fences and smooth pavements. How many of you would believe that such a thing was not only possible in the USSR - but existed in the farthest reaches of the country?