Ready to submit a package of proposals to address the problems faced by business owners and residents, following the redevelopment and modernization of Makarios Avenue in downtown Nicosia, says the capital’s mayor, Charalambos Pruntzos. Speaking on the “Alpha Summer” program, he expressed the view that the constant focus on problems does not reflect the reality of a beautiful and upgraded urban environment that has been created and is being appreciated by both locals and foreign visitors.
“Instead of constant negativity, let’s focus on the positives and the good things, and of course take the necessary steps to improve the situation—whether through incentives, traffic management, or more green spaces. But let’s stop talking about Makarios Avenue as if it were the worst urban environment.”
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Mr. Pruntzos emphasized that foreign visitors to Nicosia during Cyprus’s Presidency of the European Council recognized that Makarios Avenue is a beautiful urban environment and acknowledged the challenges facing the area’s commercial viability.
“And our efforts will be directed toward this end. The positive aspect is that we have two hotels under construction on side streets that will add 250 tourist rooms, and several stores are being renovated to house new businesses. The retail sector faces the greatest challenges, and that is where our recommendations will focus.”
The Mayor of Nicosia noted that the awarding of contracts for food service operations at the old GSP will make a significant contribution to the development of the capital’s commercial center.
“The parking issue that’s constantly being brought up is a ridiculous debate. There is no parking problem in the city center. We have over 500 spaces in the GSP underground garage and hundreds more around Makarios Street. So there is no parking issue, and this is demonstrated by data from the Smart City program, which shows that occupancy rarely exceeds 70 percent.”
