leader in the Baltic market of shopping and entertainment centres finished the preparation of the design proposals for Akropolis Vingis a multifunctional quarter planned in Vilnius district Vilkpėdė It is planned that the former industrial area will be converted into a new urban quarter with inner streets buildings with offices and apartments intended for long-term residential lease recreational areas and underground parking lots Construction is planned to be started in 2023 According to the plans of the Vilnius City Municipality former industrial areas in Vilkpėdė located just 5 kilometres away from the Old Town are going to be adapted for the needs of the public One of the largest conversions of former industrial areas planned in this Vilnius district is a new multifunctional complex Akropolis Vingis which will emerge in the territory of the Velga factory that was operative until 2000 “We have designed a new Akropolis Vingis as a multifunctional cultural where buildings of different functions will harmoniously complement each other In the course of preparation of the design we had discussions with the Vilnius City Municipality and capital experts of the city architecture and urbanism – we are grateful to them for their valuable comments We hope that this conversion project will become a significant impulse for both Vilkpėdė and Vilnius as a whole – the former industrial area will turn into a viable urban quarter,” Manfredas Dargužis the neglected buildings of the former factory have been demolished In the smaller part of the land plot (3.7 ha) by the Neris river the real estate development company Galio Group is developing a quarter of residential houses reVingis in the larger part of the land plot (10.3 ha) the construction of the designed new multifunctional quarter Akropolis Vingis is planned to be started in 2023 after the completion of the preparation of the technical design obtaining a new document permitting construction and carrying tender procedures for selection of contractors Focus on the harmony of different functions we studied the latest trends in European architecture and sought that shopping public and residential spaces in the future quarter merge harmoniously the integration of the concert hall and the cinema centre we took into account the specifics of the environment Akropolis Vingis will become a key impetus for reviving the whole of Vilkpėdė which is undeservedly forgotten,” comments architect Andrė Baldišiūtė from the architectural firm Do Architects that designs Akropolis Vingis The total area of the premises intended for retail trade services and leisure activities will take up about 100,000 m2 such an area in Vilnius Akropolis is 103,000 m2 A universal concert hall designed in the complex will have 2,500 seats or up to 4,000 standing places About 450 apartments for long-term residential lease are planned to be built It is planned to create open-air leisure and green spaces – the park pedestrian and cyclist alleys In the territory of the complex 4,500 parking spaces have been designed in the complex Akropolis Vingis The parking will be open not only to visitors and employees of the quarter but also to all Vilnius citizens and city guests there are 3,000 parking spaces by Vilnius Akropolis The majority of parking spaces will be in a two-story underground parking lot One of the largest underground parking lots in the capital city is going to have an underground traffic infrastructure – inner streets interactive solutions for regulating traffic Cargo ramps for the supply of goods and the removal of waste have also been designed under the building to minimize visual and acoustic pollution above which apartments intended for long-term residential lease are going to rise 100 more parking spaces will be situated in the approaches to the complex Three separate entrances to the new quarter are planned – from Geležinio Vilko street (for those arriving from the city centre) from Gerosios Vilties street and from Eigulių street as most of the incoming motor traffic is directed underground inside the quarter priority will be given to the movement of pedestrians and cyclists people will be able to enjoy open-air leisure spaces walk along the over 300 metre long pedestrian alley from Geležinio Vilko street to the Neris river which will be located behind the Vingis Park A park with pedestrian and cyclist paths is designed between M Čiurlionio street and the future complex of buildings the roofs of buildings closer to the river will be planted with low-rise plants inner courtyards of the quarter and roof terraces will be planted with small trees “The greenery will harmoniously integrate into the general environment of the quarter which will be dominated by the terracotta colour range The combination of clay red and soil brown has been chosen for the buildings taking into account the colours of the surrounding territories and the nature in the neighbourhood This structure will be both joined and divided into separate functional areas by shades of grey The capacity of surrounding streets will increase In order to improve communication for Vilnius citizens and city guests the city transport infrastructure that is next to the quarter will be reconstructed The current intersection between Geležinio Vilko Čiurlionio streets will be replaced by a roundabout at the start of Gerosios Vilties street under Geležinio Vilko street there will be the underground pedestrian and bicycle crossing and one of the entrances to the parking lot of the complex Čiurlionio streets will become unregulated and its capacity will increase The modern underground passage will become a connection joining Naujamiestis district and the Vingis Park A part of Eigulių street will also be reconstructed new cycling and pedestrian paths of 2.5 km will be built In accordance with the existing legislation a permit for the operation of the new complex will be granted only after the developer has completed the implementation of the city transport infrastructure improvement projects These projects will be implemented at the expense of the developer under agreements concluded with the municipality their detailed design solutions will be approved by the municipality before any works are started Even distribution of transport flows in the quarter will also be ensured by different intensity of visiting buildings of different functions during the day – office workers will arrive in the morning and leave after working hours the flow of visitors to the shopping centre is distributed more or less evenly between 11 and 21 whereas the concert hall visitors will be arriving in the evening when the flow of shoppers is already falling The project will be developed in accordance with the requirements of the international sustainable construction standard BREEAM It is expected that after the implementation of the project 8,000 new jobs will be created in the area of the quarter Akropolis Group will use its analogous experience gained in Latvia was built in the place of former Kuznetsov's porcelain factory with the historical heritage of the former factory included in the interior of the shopping centre Dominykas MertinasHead of Marketing and Communication DepartmentAKROPOLIS GROUP, UAB+370 64027001dominykas.mertinas@akropolis.lt A document permitting construction issued for the infrastructure project at Eigulių street The Vilnius City Municipality has issued a document permitting construction for the transport infrastructure improvement project at Eigulių street which will be implemented by the multifunctional complex Akropolis Vingis to be constructed in Vilkpėdė The project includes solutions that will be implemented in the Eigulių street section between Tūkstantmečio street Geležinio Vilko street and Savanorių avenue roundabout “This traffic infrastructure improvement project is integrally related to the quarter Akropolis Vingis under development The project is meant to improve the capacity of the streets and intersections adjacent to the future multifunctional complex also to ensure convenient arrival and departure for all people – pedestrians cyclists and drivers – to and from the multifunctional complex,” says Nerijus Maknevičius the CEO and the Chairperson of the Board of Akropolis Group The project infrastructure solutions include the reconstruction of the existing Eigulių street section between Tūkstantmečio street installation of a new roundabout and an additional lane from the side of the Neris river toward the multifunctional complex also sidewalks and pedestrian crossings will be added at Eigulių street The main pedestrian traffic is expected from Eigulių stop at Tūkstantmečio street towards the newly designed multifunctional area also from the pedestrian crossing at Savanorių roundabout separated from the driveway by rows of greenery Taking into account the special plan of Vilnius city cycling routes a cycling path is planned in the Eigulių street section from Geležinio Vilko street towards Elektrinės street – on its southern side It is planned that in the process of implementation of this project m of sustainably mown meadows will be started and there will also be 389 sq thus contributing to the increase of biodiversity of public areas The conversion of the industrial area has already begun “Three design proposals for transport infrastructure were prepared in the process of Akropolis Vingis development which include infrastructure solutions that are going to be implemented in Eigulių All of them were being elaborated in close cooperation with experts of the Vilnius City Municipality taking into account their recommendations and comments Design proposals for two of these projects were presented to the public in January 2023 the municipality approved of the design proposals in spring 2023 And we have just obtained a document permitting construction for one of them – the project at Eigulių street We have also submitted to the municipality a detailed technical design for the last project – the one at Geležinio Vilko street in order to obtain a document permitting construction for it The last infrastructure improvement project for which a document permitting construction is yet to be obtained provides that the current intersection of Gerosios Vilties and Geležinio Vilko streets will be reconstructed into a two-level intersection of continuous traffic: a roundabout will be installed in Gerosios Vilties street by Geležinio Vilko street and under Geležinio Vilko street there will be an underground pedestrian and cyclist crossing as well as an underground entrance to Akropolis Vingis underground parking lot Some traffic infrastructure improvement solutions are already in progress – based on a document permitting construction that was separately issued for the project the laying of a section of Eigulių street along the boundary of the land plot under development is being finalised It will offer a convenient access to reVINGIS a quarter of multi-apartment buildings being developed by Galio Group adjacent to Akropolis Vingis All the public infrastructure improvement work will be carried out at the expense of Akropolis Vingis project developer a permit for the operation of the multifunctional complex will be able to be granted only after the developer has fully completed the implementation of the infrastructure improvement projects Document permitting construction of Akropolis Vingis issued “We are certain that Akropolis Vingis not only will become an attraction for Vilnius citizens and guests but also will be one of the main stimuli for the revival of Vilkpėdė district We will inform the public about the further progress of the multifunctional complex Akropolis Vingis project and future adjacent traffic infrastructure improvement projects as soon as we have any important news,” comments N The Vilnius City Municipality issued a document permitting construction of Akropolis Vingis in late August this year The multifunction complex Akropolis Vingis that will emerge in the former industrial area will have shopping a concert hall of 2,500 seats or up to 4,000 standing places offices and apartments meant for long-term residential lease The complex will have about 4,500 parking spaces the leading shopping and entertainment centres development and management company in the Baltics holds companies providing shopping centres development and management services in Lithuania and Latvia companies held by Akropolis Group manage shopping and entertainment centres Akropolis in Vilnius whereas in Latvia – Akropole Alfa and Akropole Riga in Riga More information can be obtained from:Aistė Jankūnaitė+370 614 55468 / aiste@ideaprima.lt   Media representative of Akropolis GroupProject Manager at IDEA PRIMA The market leader of shopping and entertainment centers in the Baltic States "Acropolis Group" completed the preparation of project proposals for the planned multi-functional quarter "Akropolis Vingis" in the Vilkpėdes micro-district of Vilnius It is planned that a new city block with internal streets office and apartment buildings for long-term residential rental recreation areas and underground parking lots will be built in the former industrial area By Vilnius city municipalities plans, located just 5 kilometers from the Old Town Wolffoot the former industrial territories are expected to be adapted to the needs of society One of the largest conversions of former industrial areas planned in this Vilnius microdistrict - until 2000 a new multi-functional district "Akropolis Vingis" will be built on the territory of the functioning "Velga" factory "We designed the new "Akropolis Vingis" as a multifunctional cultural where buildings with different functions complement each other harmoniously we discussed with the Vilnius city municipality and the capital's architecture and urban planning experts - we are grateful to them for their valuable comments We believe that this conversion project will become a significant impulse for both Vilkpėda and Vilnius as a whole - the former industrial area will become a vibrant city quarter" The abandoned former factory buildings on the 14-hectare site are currently being demolished and contaminated soil has also been removed the real estate development company "Galio Group" is developing the residential block "reVingis" the construction of the new multifunctional quarter "Akropolis Vingis" designed on a larger part of the plot (10,3 ha) is planned to start in 2023 after the preparation of the technical project is completed a new document authorizing construction has been received and tenders for the selection of contractors have been completed "When designing the new "Akropolis Vingis" we delved into the latest European architectural trends and aimed for a harmonious fusion of trade public and residential spaces in the future quarter the integration of the concert hall and cinema center which is why "Akropolis Vingis" will become a fundamental impetus for reviving the entire undeservedly forgotten Vilkpėda" architect of the architectural studio "Do Architects" the authors of the "Akropolis Vingis" project The total area of ​​the premises for retail trade services and leisure will occupy about 100 square meters in Vilnius "Acropolis" this area is 103 thousand The universal concert hall designed in the complex will have 2.500 seats or up to 4.500 standing places The total area of ​​7 office buildings located above the shopping center will reach about 100 thousand square meters It is planned to build about 450 apartments for long-term residential rental it is planned to install leisure and green spaces under the open sky - a park The "Akropolis Vingis" complex has 4.500 parking spaces The parking lot will be open not only to visitors and employees of the quarter but also to all residents of Vilnius and guests of the city there are 3000 parking spaces near the Vilnius Acropolis The largest number of parking spaces is provided in the two-story underground parking lot Underground traffic infrastructure will be installed in one of the capital's largest underground parking lots - internal streets The loading ramps for the supply of goods and the removal of waste are also designed under the building Two more smaller floors of the parking lot will be built next to the commercial premises above which it is planned to install apartments intended for long-term residential rental Another 100 parking spaces will be installed at the entrances of the complex There are three separate entrances to the new quarter - from Geležinios Vilkos Street (arriving from the city center) from Gerosios Vilties Street and from Eigulių Street after directing the majority of the traffic of incoming cars underground priority will be given to the movement of pedestrians and cyclists in the territory of the block itself Leisure spaces under the open sky will be installed here and a pedestrian alley more than 300 meters long will stretch from Geležinios Vilkos Street to the Neris River business and shopping quarter that will be located behind Vingios Park will be extremely green Between MK Čiurlionis Street and the future building complex a park with pedestrian and bicycle paths has been designed the roofs of the buildings closer to the river will be planted with dwarf plants the courtyards and roof terraces of the block will be planted with small trees "The greenery will harmoniously fit into the general environment of the quarter which will be dominated by the terracotta color range connecting the spaces of the different buildings The combination of red clay and brown earth colors for the buildings was chosen taking into account the color of the surrounding areas and the natural neighborhood black and white colors will unite this structure and divide it into separate functional spaces" In order to improve communication for Vilnius residents and city guests the city's communication infrastructure near the block will be reconstructed at the expense of Akropolis Group The current intersection between Geležinis Vilkos Gerosios Vilties and MK Čiurlionis streets will be replaced by a ring installed at the beginning of Gerosios Vilties street an underground passage for pedestrians and cyclists and one of the entrances to the parking lot of the complex is planned under Geležinis Vilkos street Gerojis viltis and MK Čiurlionis streets will become unregulated The modern underpass will become a convenient connection for pedestrians and cyclists connecting Naujamiestis with Vingios Park Part of Eigulių Street will also be reconstructed part of the entrances to MK Čiurlionis Street will be repaired and 2,5 km of new bicycle and pedestrian paths will be installed the permit for the operation of the new complex will be issued only when the developer has finished implementing the projects for improving the city's transportation infrastructure in accordance with the contracts concluded with the municipality their detailed design solutions will be approved by the municipality before the start of the works The even distribution of traffic flows in the quarter will also be ensured by the different intensity of attendance of buildings with separate functions during the day - office workers will arrive in the morning and leave after working hours the flow of visitors to the shopping center is more or less evenly distributed between 11 a.m while visitors to the concert hall will arrive in the evening when the flow of customers is already decreasing The project will be developed in accordance with the requirements of the international sustainable building standard BREEAM about 8 thousand people will be created in the territory of the quarter Akropolis Group will use similar experience in the conversion project in Latvia The "Akropole Riga" complex opened in Riga in 2019 was built on the site of the Kuznetsov porcelain factory after incorporating the historical heritage of the former factory into the interior of the shopping center reproduction and distribution are permitted only with the written consent of UAB "Naujosios medijos grupė" The death toll was the highest in the country since the start of the pandemic Some 314 cases were recorded in Vilnius County The biggest clusters of new infections surround the administrations of local municipalities in Biržai District Outbreaks have also been recorded in 16 hospitals – in Švenčionys Clusters have also been recorded in care homes across the county the backlog of untraced cases has increased to 1,100 meaning that health officials are yet to analyse where the people got infected with the virus Read more: Health officials under pressure: instead of funding, we were told to ‘optimise’ Some 28,262 people have been infected with the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic 21,339 people are still ill with the virus A total of 235 people have died of Covid-19 in Lithuania and another 80 coronavirus-infected people have died of other causes Some 78,306 people remain in isolation and 846 are hospitalised The country has since June 1 registered 432 cases of coronavirus infection contracted abroad A total of 1,132,514 tests for Covid-19 have been carried out in Lithuania so far, including 13,092 over the past 24 hours.Read more: Lithuanian healthcare system close to collapse, doctors warnCORRECTION: Due to an editing error the earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the number of active coronavirus cases The Vilnius City Municipality issued a document permitting construction for the multifunctional complex Akropolis Vingis being developed by the real estate development and management company Akropolis Group in Vilkpėdė district of Vilnius The development of the area goes along with traffic infrastructure improvement projects integrally related to the development of Akropolis Vingis complex The detailed technical designs of traffic infrastructure projects are also presented to the municipality in order to obtain documents permitting construction for them Upon receipt of all necessary construction permits Akropolis Group will prepare detailed project implementation plans and will select optimal financing solutions Design proposals for the multifunctional complex Akropolis Vingis were presented to the public in July 2022 and approved by the Vilnius City Municipality in October 2022 During the elaboration of the technical design of the complex in respect of the selected technological and engineering solutions the design proposals were slightly modified and re-submitted to the Vilnius City Municipality in October 2023 and presented to the public in November 2023 the Vilnius City Municipality approved of the changes in the design proposals The technical design of the complex was finalised based on the approved design proposals and the municipality was presented with all documents for obtaining a document permitting construction “We see and positively assess the active interest of the retail market participants in Akropolis Vingis project It is just natural – the future multifunctional quarter which will encompass shopping and service areas office spaces and apartments for long-term residential lease is one of the biggest by size in the Baltics With regard to the complexity and scale of the project we will consistently take the planned steps necessary for the further development of the project Akropolis Vingis,” says Nerijus Maknevičius In addition to the expected receipt of construction permits for the traffic infrastructure improvement projects in a few upcoming months the company will update expense estimates for construction of the multifunctional quarter and the public infrastructure improvement works planned in the neighbourhood revise the investment plan for the project implementation select optimal solutions for the project financing “We will inform the public about the further progress of the multifunctional complex Akropolis Vingis project and future adjacent traffic infrastructure improvement projects as soon as we have any important news,” N The multifunction complex Akropolis Vingis that will emerge in the former industrial area The complex is to have about 4,500 parking spaces: a two-storey underground parking lot will accommodate about 3,500 cars and about 1,000 more cars will be able to park in a two-storey parking lot designed near the commercial premises and in nearby the complex the territory of the quarter will prioritise convenient traffic for pedestrians and cyclists who will be able to enjoy new cycling and pedestrian paths here The transport and traffic infrastructure in the neighbourhood of the quarter is also to undergo changes Design proposals for the transport infrastructure were being elaborated in close cooperation with experts of the Vilnius City Municipality Three design proposals were prepared in total Their detailed technical designs are presented to the municipality in order to obtain documents permitting construction for them One project provides that the current intersection of Gerosios Vilties and Geležinio Vilko streets will be reconstructed into a two-level intersection of continuous traffic: a roundabout will be installed in Gerosios Vilties street by Geležinio Vilko street The other project provides for laying of additional traffic lanes and implementation of other infrastructure improvement solutions in Eigulių street and the Savanorių avenue roundabout These solutions are expected to increase traffic throughput capacity ensure safe and convenient movement for pedestrians In the arrangement and transformation of the transport infrastructure it is also planned to reconstruct the street lighting to lay over 2.5 km of new pedestrian and cycling paths All the public infrastructure improvement works will be carried out at the expense of Akropolis Vingis project developer “In developing the complex and related public infrastructure technical designs we were consulting sustainable development and other specialists as well as representatives of the Vilnius City Municipality even for several years therefore we are certain that after the project is implemented the multifunctional complex Akropolis Vingis not only will become an attraction for Vilnius citizens and guests but also will be one of the main stimulus for the revival of Vilkpėdė district,” N In performance of the conversion of the same former industrial area in Vilkpėdė real estate development company Galio Group is developing a comfortable and high-quality living space with infrastructure both for active leisure and peaceful time off will consist of 4 quarters of multi-apartment buildings 14 residential blocks and about 650 residential and other premises The first stage of reVINGIS was completed in May: four blocks of the multi-apartment building River Space were built and a construction completion certificate was received The quarter Park Space being built in the second stage will be able to welcome its residents at the beginning of next year The landscaping work is carried out in parallel: a section of the formerly neglected Neris riverbank has been landscaped at the expense of Galio Group and Akropolis Group and handed over to the city A green trail close to the river has been opened for the city residents allowing them to reach the Vingis Park by its picturesque route Only natural materials have been used for the trail – intervention to nature has been kept to the minimum in order to maintain the environment there as natural as possible The trail has been connected to the top of the slope by wooden pedestrian stairs several observation decks have been installed allowing walkers to enjoy the Neris river view Akropolis Vingis PHOTO: Organizacijos nuotr business and shopping complex planned to be built in in the territory of the former factory Velga 1 The design proposals which were prepared in cooperation with the city and experts were presented by the architects from the architectural studio Do Architects together with the representatives of Akropolis Group answered the questions raised by the participants of the meeting about the solutions of the design proposals for the future multifunctional complex former industrial areas in Vilkpėdė are going to be adapted for the needs of the public One of the largest planned conversions is the multifunctional complex Akropolis Vingis which will emerge in the former industrial territory of the Velga factory It is planned that the complex will consistently embrace trade and service areas a concert hall with 2,500 seats or up to 4,500 standing places offices and apartments intended for long-term residential lease and a huge food hall as well as recreational areas.The Akropolis Vingis quarter which will be located next to the Vingis Park will be particularly green: a park is designed near the buildings in the developed area the roofs of the buildings closer to the river and the inner courtyards of the quarter will be planted with various perennial plants It is planned to reconstruct at the expense of Akropolis Group the streets and intersections near the future quarter Čiurlionio Streets will be reconstructed: it is planned to install a traffic roundabout at the start of Gerosios Vilties street a modern underground pedestrian and bicycle crossing under Geležinio Vilko Street and one of the entrances to the parking lot of the complex The underground crossing will become a new vibrant connection joining Naujamiestis district and the Vingis Park encouraging people to walk on foot or use alternative means of transport It is also planned to reconstruct a part of Eigulių Street These infrastructure improvement projects will be implemented at the expense of the developer in accordance with the contracts concluded with the municipality – their detailed design solutions will be approved by the city municipality before the start of work and the design proposals will be presents to the public separately Parking solutions have also been considered in the Akropolis Vingis complex: 4,500 parking spaces have been designed A two-story underground parking lot with a capacity of about 3,500 cars is being designed Another 1,000 cars will be possible to park in smaller two-storey parking lot near commercial premises and at the surroundings of the complex After directing most of the traffic entering the shopping quarter to underground parking the movement of pedestrians and cyclists will be given priority in the territory of Akropolis Vingis – it is planned to install over 2.5 km of new cycling and pedestrian paths The construction of the multifunctional complex Akropolis Vingis in Vilkpėdė district is planned to be commenced in 2023 having obtained a building permit and having selected contractors 8,000 new job places will be created in the area of the quarter was built in the place of the former Kuznetsov’s porcelain factory with the former factory’s historical heritage included in the shopping centre’s interior municipal heating will be switched on gradually starting with Fabijoniškės Baltupiai and Grigiškės on Monday and Tuesday central heating will be switched on in the districts of Antakalnis and from Wednesday and Thursday – in the districts of Paneriai Vilnius will be using low-sulfur fuel oil for heating this year senior officials of Vilnius Municipality earlier said that this measure would help keep households’ heating bills at last year’s level and projected that a monthly heating bill for a 50-square-metre apartment in a renovated and a non-renovated block of flats might reach 33 euros and 55 euros Kaunas Municipality claims that households in Lithuania’s second-largest city will be paying up to one-fifth less for heating compared to average bills across the country Panevėžys and Šiauliai started supplying district heating to households in the beginning of last week Klaipėda will kick off the heating season later due to higher temperatures and the local authority of the port city yet has to make decisions on the issue brides choosing wedding dresses or lawyers coming to events can be met for years m area "Betono Fabrik" offices have already brought a dozen companies and several hundred employees here dozens of private events and promote the further development of the entire 18 ha territory For investors in 2021 after purchasing several premises of a cap factory in Vilkpėdė which operated for decades of independence they were reborn last year as "Betono Fabrikas" - two reconstructed office and studio buildings between railway tracks production or trade businesses that have been operating here for many years Although the entire territory of the former combine still looks like a production area such service businesses as accounting software developers RoboLabs Backstage Roastery working in the coffee and cafe sector furniture and interior decor salons "Šiaurė Shop" and "Būsto Harmonija" and several other design or trading companies Red Bull, a large player in the beverage market, has placed warehouses next to "Betono Fabrik", and the storage of works is currently being developed MO Museum At the initiative of the growing "Betono Fabrik" community and neighbors the name of the part of Naujosiis Riovonii Street was even changed this year - it is now officially called Betono Akligatvii One of the largest tenants of Betono Fabrik is the accounting services and software company RoboLabs, which previously worked In the old town Now several dozen colleagues of the company work in a hybrid way in Vilkpėdė According to RoboLabs manager Gintarė Katinaitė the company was looking for a spacious office with many conference rooms and a reserve for future expansion At Betono Fabrik, it's fun to be in the community - together events lectures and parties give a feeling of coziness and born friendships with neighbors we have many amenities - many spaces for work And the furniture and interior decor studio "Šiaurė Shop" moved not only workplaces but also the furniture exhibition to Vilkpėda The company "Betono fabrik" chose the premises of the territory because of the inspiring spaces "The buildings and spaces looked exceptional I liked that old buildings are reborn to a new life by keeping the industrial elements and adapting the spaces to modern needs The fireplace and high ceiling create coziness in the studio The tracks visible from the windows and the occasional passing trains bring a special charm to both us and our customers Our customers and partners love to be in this area We hope that the quarter will be further developed more cafes and recreation areas will appear" "Betono Fabrikas" will have another well-known neighbor - the premises of reconstructed offices a little further away have been purchased and the storage facility is currently being installed by the MO Museum Although there will not yet be a branch of the museum open to visitors such a possibility cannot be ruled out in the future The presentation of its new strategy to the international team of more than 100 people at "Betono Fabrik" was organized this spring by UAB "Novaturas" the leading tour operator of the Baltic countries but at the same time comfortable spaces were sought for the event "We operate as a group of companies in Lithuania, in Latvia and Estonia the mixed team obliged to consider different options The location is one of the essential elements of the event because it creates that first impression and sets the stage for the further experience the environment can undoubtedly enhance the content and format of the event it was important for us that people do not feel constrained that the space is suitable for easy movement communication and not "sticking" to the chairs the ability to easily move between the outdoor "terrace" in the background of the rails and the indoor rooms We wanted to destroy the myth that the strategy is a very serious and official format with a fairly clear and predictable presentation structure when serious content is presented in a less official form According to her, after the event, Novaturo's colleagues unanimously named the Betono Fabrik environment as successfully chosen, which event becomes more interesting in itself The location of "Betono Fabrik" is a story in itself which you want to tell and share after visiting would raise travel associations - the preserved authentic railway tracks became this element," says M The DO ARCHITECTS studio can be considered the initiators most active ambassadors and largest tenants of the "Betono Fabrik" project She moved here from the Old Town with more than 50 colleagues created a project for a couple of buildings that have already been modernized and a concept for the conversion of the entire ten-hectare area She believes that when the first "brave people" move into the area event organizers discover the area and the community grows stronger it will be easier for others to consider the area a large part of the property here is not owned by real estate companies their priority is their day-to-day business not real estate or even more so its development We created the district development concept primarily to change the thinking of property owners changes will occur by themselves: perhaps some will modernize themselves others will look for partners and like-minded people Examples of conversion in other larger areas show that once a critical mass is reached and a turning point in the attitude towards the area in the minds of many owners seems to have already happened the change is not primarily determined by the state or the city but by the community and each of its members" She points out that the old-timers of "Betono Fabrik" are locksmiths historically old-town diversity that is absent in modern business districts one of the goals of the "Betono Fabrik" community is to gradually add a modern "city" with all its dynamics and services to the current diversity of the industrial district "When people "with computers" joined the old-timers a very healthy mix was created in the Concrete Quarter We like him very much and we want to nurture him but we want to bring it with respect for what is already here And not only for the architecturally valuable silhouettes of the silo tower or the industrial heritage but most importantly for the people who have been working here for many years," says S the old residents of the area are very happy with the changes and try to contribute to them who has been managing the "Family Cafe" in Vilkpėdė for ten years renovated the premises and adjusted the menu a year ago the young people who have appeared with a good mood I would like the territory to continue to modernize" the manager of the MB "Račius" repair workshop says that he moved to Vilkpėda just 3 years ago She has already inspired the craftsman not only to renew the facade of his workshop but also to consider purchasing his own property you can feel the spirit of the youth and the community The ongoing changes are "hooking" - although I am a tenant I have already agreed with the owner of the premises about some renovation of the building's exterior I wish that the changes here will continue I am even considering buying something here," says A The changes in "Betono Fabrik" respond to the new Vilnius general plan presented 2 years ago which envisages that the entire Vilkpėdė district becomes the city's priority development area where the industrial function should gradually be replaced by residential and commercial buildings The municipality expects that in the next few decades the population of Vilkpėdė will increase from 20 to 60 thousand and densely populated areas will not only be located near Vingios Park but along the entire Savanorių avenue and Titnagos street in the territories of "Vilnius lighting" or "Vilnius waters" Among the more or less advanced ideas of the municipality in Vilkpėdė are two pedestrian bridges over the Neris a bicycle path along the entire Savanorių Avenue and even two new schools and children's centers are being considered According to the mayor of Vilnius architect advisor Lauras Kairienės the municipality has various tools to promote the development of territories: from the general plan to infrastructure or communication the main role both in Vilkpėdė and in other territories will be played by business what we see in the Concrete Factory is pleasing but there is an active community that knows and cares about the spirit of the area we often see that residents or property owners do not have a unified vision which makes change difficult and sometimes unnecessary But it is a completely different language when there is an active enthusiastic and united community - in this case there is also the potential to receive funding for relevant projects through coping budgets or other means," says L she has no doubt that the community of Beton Quarter will agree on the most necessary changes and initiate them themselves And when it comes to the change of other city spaces activate them and lead them towards change Although the municipality has a limited team and activators wherever necessary and wherever possible but the experience of the West shows that the best and fastest changes take place where the interested communities want it and where there is leadership"