Development of Cargo-logistic center at Airport “Konstantin Veliki” in Nišu to start in May 2009 – investment worth 62m EUR

Development of Cargo-logistic center at Airport “Konstantin Veliki” in Niš, of which total value, including the ancillary facilities, amounts to 62m EUR, should start in May 2009 and it should be finished within 6 years from the moment the construction starts. As Nebojša Glišić from architectural company “Modular”, which elaborated the project, explained, in addition to cargo-distributive center at 16,146 square meters, manipulative cargo warehouse (42,228 square meters), two logistic centers at 16,000 square meters and 23,187 square meters, respectively, shopping mall (19,870 square meters), business-administrative center at 9,000 square meters and a four-star hotel at 9,000 square meters will be developed at total of 26 ha of land through six phases of construction.

Realization of this joint investment of the airport in Niš and Austrian “EyeMaxx”, which was backed on the tender by British fund “Chayton Capital”, should commence, as Glišić pointed out at Investment Fair Investexpo in Novi Sad, in spring 2009 with the construction of the manipulative cargo warehouse and logistic center at about 60,000 square meters. The value of works in the first phase is 10m EUR and they should be finished and put into operation within 18 months from the day the development commences.

- The whole project should be implemented continuously, but that will also depend on the financial situation in the market. If everything goes as planned, the second phase, which should start as soon as the first one ends, should see the development of another logistic center and a cargo-distributive center, while the third phase should include construction of a shopping mall. Development of a business facility that should “cover” the operations of all facilities within the cargo center should take place in the fourth and the fifth phase, while the latter will also include construction of the hotel that should satisfy all the needs of the passengers at Airport “Konstantin Veliki” –Glišić explained in the interview for "eKapija".

According to his words, the development of existing Airport “Konstantin Veliki” should mirror the development of this complex.

- Development of existing Airport is inevitable because the rich cargo traffic will stimulate development of other contents within “Konstantin Veliki”. The project anticipates construction of all facilities that are necessary for its functioning at the global level and, once the construction is completed, it will be able to receive both passenger and cargo airplanes from all around the world. The project is designed to maximally exploit all of the airport’s capacities. Reconstruction of the runway has already been completed, while the obtaining of certificates that are necessary for future operations is underway. However, the plan for detailed regulation does not anticipate expansion of the airport. It occupies the area of 126 ha and this complex will be built within this area.

In addition to great potential, Glišić points out that the excellent position of Airport “Konstantin Veliki“ guarantees exceptional future for this project.

- We are certain that Airport “Konstantin Veliki“ will become one of the most important, if not the most important point in Southeast Europe in field of logistics, cargo and distributive network. The existing and development of few more access junctions will connect the cargo-logistic center with road and railway “Corridor 10“, which enables quick and easy delivery and dispatching of goods. This is where the knot with complete infrastructure is situated, so that the goods from the future cargo center in Niš would be quickly distributed and delivered to Belgrade, Salonica and Sofia. None of the airports in the region is, currently, able to handle heavy air traffic, except for Niš-based airport, because it used to be a military airport and it has a great connection with road and railway infrastructure – said Glišić.