“The steps taken are not only impressive and unprecedented for Greece”
The course of the largest urban regeneration in Europe which is in full progress in Greekfrom Lambda Developmentis presented in the last newsletter of “The Ellinikon”, a few days before the end of the year. “The steps taken are not only impressive and unprecedented for Greece. They are leaps of progress for the great project of Ellinikos that make the new city more and more visible to everyone”refers to the introductory note where the progress of individual projects in the context of urban regeneration is presented in images and videos.
As pointed out in the newsletter in Elliniko, a “smart” city is being created from the beginning, assimilating cutting-edge technologies and making extensive use of advanced infrastructure and innovative systems. The goal of LAMDA Development is for the smart city of Hellinikon to be a model at national and international level. Technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), are being used to transform all buildings and infrastructures into smart ones, improving the daily life of residents and contributing to saving resources. At the same time, last-generation 5G and fiber optic networks will offer seamless ultra-high-speed connectivity. Every commercial and residential development in the new city of Hellinikon will be equipped with systems that will ensure energy efficiency and reduce the environmental footprint.
The Metropolitan Park of Hellinikon, with an area of 2,000,000 m2, will be the first “smart” park in Greece that will incorporate smart solutions for the safety of visitors and the preservation of the natural environment. These solutions include, among others, lighting systems that will adjust the intensity depending on the season and time of day, but also systems for the continuous monitoring of environmental conditions, saving energy and water.
In particular, among others, the following are mentioned for the progress of the construction of individual projects
Disabled Care Center: The first building in Elliniko was handed over
A new model at the European level, a state-of-the-art Care Center for People with Disabilities, is already operating in Elliniko and houses 4 PWD associations. The building, which is the first one constructed by LAMDA Development in Elliniko, was delivered within schedule to the Municipality of Elliniko-Argyroupoli. The goal for its construction is to cover the needs of 4 disabled associations, which until now operated in facilities of 1970, only 2,500 sq.m. The total construction of the building complex is 11,500 sq.m. on a plot of 7,400 sq.m., while more than 8,000 plants have been planted in its outdoor areas. In October, the new Care Center for People with Disabilities was visited by the Prime Minister. Kyriakos Mitsotakis took a tour of its premises and emphasized in his statements the great symbolic, but also essential importance of the creation and donation by LAMDA Development of the new building.
Riviera Tower foundation completed – Next steps
The longest continuous concreting, lasting 40 hours, that has ever been done in Greece, took place at the Hellinikon project for the foundation of the Riviera Tower. The foundation system of the first “green” residential skyscraper in our country followed the design and construction standards of the tallest and most impressive buildings in the world, such as the Petronas Towers and Burj Khalifa. The design of the Riviera Tower has been done by the internationally renowned architectural office Foster+Partners and its construction has been entrusted to the consortium Bouygues Bâtiment International and Intrakat. Work on the Riviera Tower continues with the concreting of the basements and the ground floor slab, which is already visible to all from Poseidon Avenue. Riviera Tower will be completed by 2026.
Little Athens: A new residential neighborhood
A new, modern neighborhood, “Little Athens”, is being created in Elliniko, with direct access to the sea and the Park, the “Little Athens». It will have approximately 1,115 residences and 115 shops, upon completion of the first development phase of the Hellinikon project, necessary for everyday life and the modern lifestyle, including cafes, restaurants, pharmacies, gyms. The buildings, which have been designed by renowned Greek and international architectural offices, will reach up to 50 meters in height in those developments adjacent to Hellinikon Park, while in the remaining developments they will not exceed 20 meters in height.
PARK RISE: Designed by award-winning Danish architectural firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), there will be a total of 88 residences for sale spread over up to 12 levels.
PAVILION TERRACES: It has been designed by the Greek architectural office 314 Architecture Studio, and a total of 156 residences will be offered for sale, developed on up to 7 levels.
The course of development of infrastructure projects
Poseidon Undergrounding: : Excavations are 72% complete and concreting is 37% complete
The undergrounding of Poseidon is one of the largest road projects currently underway in Attica and one of the largest infrastructure projects in the development of Hellinikon. Construction work is progressing at a brisk pace, with excavation 72% complete and concreting 37% complete. When the project is completed, Poseidonos will be crossed underground from the beach of Alimos to the height of the Ellinikos Marina. The entire area currently covered by the beach will be transformed into a green space that will unite the Metropolitan Park with the beach, while a light traffic road and a bicycle path will pass through the area. The undergrounding project will be completed in June 2025 and is expected to be handed over to the public, after the necessary operational tests, at the end of 2025.
Hellinikon is “shielding” itself against climate change
The anti-flood shielding of the wider Hellinikon area and the coastal zone is a top priority for LAMDA Development. The arrangement of the Trahona stream with twice the current capacity is a pioneering project that forms part of the strong anti-flood protection of the wider Hellinikon area. The new, modern city of Hellinikon is “shielded” against the consequences of climate change, which are already visible around us. The stream bed is released, with the aim of revitalizing the local ecosystem and creating a green recreation area. The length of the stream is 3 km and the maximum excavation depth is up to 8 meters. The project is in full swing, with 60% of the excavations for the anti-flood works completed. Its completion is expected in July 2024. In addition, 88% of the excavations and 65% of the concreting of the central rainwater collectors have been completed.
In full progress are the demarcation works and the stream of the Airport or Evryalis, as it was known in the past. Both streams were for decades suffocatingly confined within the narrow limits of the former airport, but also of the extensive urban development on the outskirts of Ymittos.
Developments in commercial destinations
RIVIERA GALLERY: At the beginning of 2024, the procedures for selecting a contractor for the Riviera Galleria project will be completed, with the aim of starting construction. The building permit has already been issued. The Riviera Galleria, a complex of buildings with a total surface area of 23,000 sq.m. with 19,000 sq.m. GLA, bears the signature of the internationally renowned Japanese architect, Kengo Kuma (Kengo Kuma and Associates) and has been designed in collaboration with the Greek design office BETAPLAN.
With more than 100 stores of top fashion brands, restaurants and cafes, visitors to the Riviera Galleria will have an abundance of high-level options, through innovative technologies that will offer them personalized service. They will also have the opportunity to attend major cultural and musical events, art exhibitions and fashion festivals. So far, Heads of Terms (HoTs) have already been signed/agreed for 53.2% of the Gross Lettable Area (GLA).
VOULIAGMENIS MALL COMPLEX: On November 30, the building permit for the construction of Vouliagmenis Mall was issued
It will have a total area of 185,000 sq.m. Advanced digital technologies, artificial intelligence applications and gadgets with touch sensors will be available to visitors, offering unprecedented experiences. Sustainability and innovation are the hallmarks of its sustainable design. The Shopping Center as well as the developments that will be located above it will have LEED Gold certification (the first time that a Shopping Center has received this certification). The interest shown in the leasable area is impressive as Heads of Terms (HoTs) have already been completed for 70% of the gross leasable area (GLA). Preliminary excavation work began in September, while the main construction work will begin in the first half of 2024.
