Belgrade to get hotel with 5+ stars in the Kalemegdan zone, as well as residential complex and sports-trade center intended only – for users of this complex

(Complex Beko, 2008)

The value of the portfolio of Greek development company “LAMDA Development“ is 700m EUR. Being the most successful Greek development company , “LAMDA Development“ is gaining in importance in the countries of the region, as well as in Serbia wherein it plans to invest over 200m EUR in a relatively short time !

On the location of former factory “Beko“ in Dorćol which it was bought last year for 55.8m EUR, the Greek company plans to build a hotel-residential-business complex with an accompanying sports-recreation center at total surface of more than 90,000 square meters, in which this regional investor intends to invest about 200m EUR. According to the words of Zisimos Danilatos, International Development Director in “LAMDA Development“, construction of an exclusive hotel with 200 to 250 rooms at 25,000 square meters, a high-category residential complex at 50,000 square meters, business and retail premises and a sport-recreation center , at exclusive service of hotel guests and future owners of apartments in the residential complex, at about 5,000 square meters, is in the pipeline.

(Zisimos Danilatos)

The commencement of construction of this complex should not be expected before the end of summer 2009 because, as Mr.Danilatos explains, that does not depend exclusively on “LAMDA“.

- The land is in the Kalemegdan zone and, by being situated there, it is under protection of the Monument Preservation Institute. We are currently in the phase when we are designing the land-utilization plan for the whole complex and the wider area and, once this is finished, we are obliged to forward it to the Institute for consideration. As we’re informed, the procedure related to approval of this plan lasts for a year, so that we hope, considering the fact that we cared to bring it in accord with the General Land-Utilization Plan, that no deadline will be breached. When placing investments, “LAMDA“ insists on transparent operations, therefore we do not want to start anything until we obtain all required permits – Zisimos Danilatos points out.

Mr. Danilatos could not tell how the complex in the vicinity of Kalemegdan is going to look like because, as he explained, the process of coming into agreement with two exceptionally prestigious architectural companies in Europe, which will be working on the project, is still in progress.

- I don’t want to name these companies because, officially, the contract has not been signed yet. It is only for certain that we will keep the factory's old building and turn it into a hotel. It is not under the protection of the state, but the experts from the Institute agreed that it should not be torn down because it contributes to the appearance of that part of the city. We will, most certainly, reorganize it, so that, once we finish the construction, Belgrade will get an exclusive hotel. We are currently in negotiations with the most prestigious hotel chains in the world and the only thing that is for sure is that the hotel will be of “5+ stars“ –Danilatos explains and adds that “LAMDA“ will build a complex in Dorćol that both the company and Belgrade will take pride in.

As he explained, the complex in Dorćol will not be turned into a “ghetto“ once high walls are built around it, but he pointed out that it would function as a unique ensemble urban resort where future tenants of the residential facility will be free to use all hotel services, while certain number of apartments will be excluded from the sales and even branded and leased by the hotel operator. Danilatos says that an idea of “LAMDA“ is to make an architecturally specific hotel-residential complex in this part of the capital of Serbia where, as he explains, a modern style of residence, well-known to Europe, will be implemented.