Belgrade Tower in 2016- Eagle Hills pours EUR 4 billion in Belgrade on water (PHOTO)

In two years time already, citizens of Belgrade will be able to see a different city. The Prime Minster of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic promised them on Friday, June 27, 2014 at the presentation of the Master plan of the Belgrade on water in a reconstructed building of Geozavod.

Vucic said that extensive works which cannot be seen and alignment of the planning regulations are in progress and by March 1 latest, the construction of the first A stage will start.

- By the end of 2016, Belgrade tower, the exterior and the surrounding area which should comprise catering facilities and a spacious park of the future symbol of the Belgrade on water should be finished. It seems impossible but Eagle Hills assured me. It will be a record in their practice - Aleksandar Vucic said.

All citizens of Serbia and Belgrade will have the opportunity to drop by Karadjordjeva 48 to see the model and find out all the project details.

Belgrade Waterfront will occupy 100 ha at the Sava amphitheatre with some 2 million square meters of commercial and residential space.

The head of the Eagle Hills, Mohamed Alabbar, said that the works will be implemented in three stages and that by the time the project ends, a total of EUR 4 billion will be invested.

- The first stage which will cost some EUR 1 mil, we will build the Belgrade Tower, a shopping mall, two hotels and a few commercial and residential buildings. It is important that the first stage is successful so that we could make progress. We are planning to create a regional center with this project which will not have competition – Alabbar said.

The UAE investor pointed out that local construction industry will be hired in the construction – contactors, suppliers, consultants which will develop local economy, especially tourism because this project will make Belgrade the best tourist destination in the region.

The Belgrade Tower, 200 meters high, will be the main part of project. Belgrade will get he biggest shopping mall in the Balkans with some 14.000 square meters gross for construction, the Sava walking zone, 1,8 km long and a central park with 37 ha. The old railway bridge will turn into a pedestrian bridge, a few top hotels and a big boulevard with cafes, restaurants and retail shops will be built. The city on water will have educational and cultural institutions, modern health facilities as well as a number of attractive entertainment facilities.

More than 14000 people will find their home at the Belgrade Waterfront and apart from luxurious flats, smaller residential units for young professionals as well as big residential units for urban families and luxurious residences at the coast will be built.

Land to stay state-owned

Yesterday, the Belgrade on Water company was officially set up in Belgrade and the joint venture set up with Arabian investor is expected. As Vucic said, “the ownership model discussion is still ongoing”.

- It is definite that the land will not change the owner and that we will opt for the renting option for a certain number of years. The investment is 100% the project of the Eagle Hills, mi we will pay the maintenance costs and expropriation and field cleaning will definitely not go over EUR 200 mil – Vucic said.

Neither the Prime Minster of Serbia nor investor could be specific about the time Belgrade on water will get its final look but Vucic said they have started the expropriation procedure for the second stage of works as well. The number of workers who will be employed at the right coast of the Sava was not defined either though the Prime Minister outlines that we are speaking about ten thousands of people.

Mater plan of Belgrade on water was presented in the Beogradska zadruga building which Eagle Hills reconstructed. As the mayor of Belgrade, Sinisa Mali said, the building is the also the first result of cooperation with the Arabian company and the first step towards the implementation. The Arabian investor invested EUR 2,5 mil in the old Belgrade’s building constructed in 1905. The reconstruction required 12 companies from Serbia with 300 workers.

I.B.

PHOTO GALLERY:

Grad Beograd

Vlada Republike Srbije

Beograd na vodi d.o.o. Beograd

Belgrade on water

Belgrade tower

Aleksandar Vucic

Sinisa Mali

Mohamed Alabbar

Savski amfiteatar

facilities at Belgrade on water

Beogradska zadruga

Geozavod

Master plan of Belgrade on water