Significant interventions being promoted by the Municipality of Nicosia may change the face of the capital forever. In the city centre, the anticipated arrival of Kapodistrian University, spearheaded by the Medical School, has drastically boosted investment activity.
As “Phileleftheros” is aware, over the last period, buildings and properties that had remained unused in the walled city for many years have been sold with the purpose of converting them into student residences, hotels, and apartments.
City centre filling with students
So far, over 250 residences are under construction, with the Nicosia Municipality’s residences on a side street of Voulgaroktonou and Archbishop Street on the eastern side of the walled city already completed.
The final decision of the Ministry of Finance for the funding of the renovation and expansion of the Phaneromeni building is also awaited, as is the four-party agreement between the Archdiocese, the Ministry, the Municipality, and the University of Cyprus for housing the University’s School of Architecture. The agreement, signed under the previous government, is a significant development for the area, and the current government is expected to honor it despite the financial cost, due to the multiple positive impacts it will bring.
Initial estimates project about 2,000 students in the Old City within five years, a number that will be a catalyst for the vitality and economy of the area. As we understand, the evaluation of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens has been completed, and final approval from DIPAE is expected, with the goal of the branch starting its operation this academic year.
Projects in Ledra Street, the old GSP, and residential developments
The €13 million project for the redevelopment of Ledra, Onasagorou, and the connecting streets, funded through the Recovery Fund, is expected to provide a major boost. The project will fully upgrade the area, similar to what has been done with the eastern part of the old city, which is now bustling with life and young people who previously were unaware of the old city’s existence.
The project will undergo a structured dialogue process before the design is finalized to avoid past mistakes and minimize the impact on businesses in the area. Additionally, the Constantinou Palaeologou upgrade project is proceeding on schedule and is expected to give a further boost to the area after the completion of Trikoupi Street.
The area around the commercial triangle and the GSP is also attracting significant investment, with at least seven residential developments underway and many more in the licensing process. The commercial uses of the GSP are expected to be announced early in the fall, and major domestic groups in the catering sector have already shown interest.
An interesting recovery is also observed on streets like Evagorou, with businesses apparently judging that the ongoing widening and improvement of sidewalks are enhancing the street’s attractiveness.
What will happen with the State Fair?
However, these interventions are not limited to the capital’s centre, as significant projects are being promoted in all municipal districts without exception. These projects have a distinctly different focus from those of previous years, centering on sustainability, a drastic increase in green spaces, and the creation of recreational and sports areas.
In Egkomi, the electoral proposal of the Mayor of Nicosia for a Metropolitan Park at the State Fair seems to be gaining universal acceptance, as all parliamentary parties, the local community, and now even the government agree with it. The link between the State Fair and the SOPAZ redevelopment seems to have “unlocked” both projects, as for the first time, the new, unified Municipality is promoting them simultaneously with a unified concept.
The Municipality insisted on turning the State Fair into the largest municipal park in Cyprus, as according to its proposal, on a 250,000 sqm area, only kiosks with a total area of about 10% of the total will remain and be upgraded.
The government’s initially strong reservations about the project’s financial viability seem to be receding. Plans are moving forward at an intensive pace, with the Municipality investing significant resources in this specific project. The uses that will remain (cultural, sports, educational, exhibition) are fully compatible with the park and help cover the maintenance costs of the space. The government now appears to be positively viewing the Municipality’s proposal, and a decision from the Council of Ministers is expected to appoint its representative to the tripartite Committee.
The Municipality, among other things, intends to hold public presentations and consultations, as it considers the role of the local community important for the success of the project. At the same time, a request is expected to be submitted for funding immediate works for the tidying and beautification of the area to end the current state of neglect and nuisance and enhance the project’s great potential.
This request is also supported by exhibitors who view the promotion of a large Conference and Exhibition Center in SOPAZ very positively, with an interim stage involving the safe and functional use of a small number of kiosks at the Fair. After the President of the Republic’s statements at the Pan-District Meeting at the Municipal Theatre, it is clear that the ball is in the government’s court for final decisions.
Comments on social media, however, show that the transformation of the area into a park is awaited with great anticipation by Nicosians. This should not be surprising given the lack of a compact green space in West Nicosia and Nicosia’s last-place ranking in green space statistics among European capitals.
The SOPAZ study was awarded and an investor will be found
Progress also seems to be happening for the proposed SOPAZ redevelopment. Specifically, the announced feasibility study has been awarded to a well-known international firm and is expected to be completed within the current year. The Municipality has settled on the proposed uses for the area and has now officially submitted a request to the state for the concession of at least four state plots to be added to the Nicosia Municipality’s owned plots.
The President of the Republic’s statements at the pan-district meeting show that the government is also looking at this issue positively, with developments to be finalized upon the completion of the relevant study. This project will proceed with the attraction of a strategic investor, and interest is already high, as the total area of the intervention may exceed 300,000 sqm.
Essentially, this is a very degraded area of Nicosia, with the promoted uses bringing new data, as they involve the creation of a new, sustainable community with a strong element of green space, sports, recreation, culture, housing, entrepreneurship, and innovation, as well as a state-of-the-art exhibition and conference center.
A significant piece in the redevelopment puzzle is the under-reconstruction Famagusta Avenue. With the project’s completion in a few months, it will not only connect Aglantzia and Kaimakli but also connect Eastern Nicosia to the highway via the University of Cyprus. This development makes SOPAZ an area with excellent access to the city center and from outside the city to SOPAZ. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it would be a surprise if the government did not support such a prospect so close to the capital’s center, given the announcement and provision of significant incentives for other similar projects, such as the technology park in Pentakomo, for which the state is promoting various actions to attract interested parties.
Work begins in Agios Dometios and Aglantzia
Significant projects are also starting in Agios Dometios, as the complete reconstruction of Prince Charles Avenue begins in September.
In Aglantzia, significant anti-flood projects are being promoted around Makariou Avenue, and the announcement for the fundamental reconstruction of the Swimming Pool is expected. The Municipality has redesigned the project for the redevelopment of the historic core of Aglantzia, whose co-funding was lost on 30/6/24 because the licensing and announcement were not achieved by that date by the former Municipality of Aglantzia. The new design approach will involve the complete redevelopment of the core and the “Skali” Cultural Center, unifying the two spaces.
It is a fact that, based on the type of projects being promoted, the approach of the new municipal authority of Nicosia appears to differ significantly from previous years, as it focuses more on green space and on redevelopment that aims for the greatest possible convenience and service for citizens.