The development of one of Vilnius’ most popular residential districts infuriates residents: Larger apartment complexes are emerging

Residents are concerned about the intensive development of Žirmūnai

Žirmūnai is one of the most popular settlements in Vilnius. It is close to the city center, which can be reached by alternative means of transport. Real estate prices here rose as in all of Vilnius, they rose especially fast in the market for newly built apartments. This is also understood by real estate developers who are actively looking for vacant areas where apartment buildings can be built. Recent Plans: Alongside Žirmūnų and Kareivių streets, several new apartment complexes and business centers are planned. So far, there is no information on its development, detailed procedures for adjusting the plot plan are planned (the division of the plot is determined by determining the use of commercial premises and residential buildings and dormitories of various apartments, height, intensity, density and other land use regulations according to the regulations of the Vilnius city municipality). general plan of the territory)

Adjacent to this plot is already the headquarters of the Bank of Lithuania, the recently completed multi-apartment complex “Verkių sodas”. Not only that, across the street, based on publicly available data, a multi-department project is also planned, but there is not much information about it either. It is true that a park-plaza is planned alongside this planned project. Residents of Žirmūnai, seeing such heavy construction at this part of the district, are concerned that future changes could hamper car and public transport traffic on Žirmūnų and Kareivių streets. There are also doubts about the lack of green areas.

Asta, who lives in Žirmūnai, tells Delfi Būstai that in the morning he has to stop at traffic jams, regardless of which vehicle he chooses: public transport or his own car.

“Although Žirmūnai is not far from the center, there are traffic jams on Kareivių Street during rush hours, people pass through here to other neighborhoods. With the construction of even more apartment buildings, the traffic will be even higher. Also, where will they park? their cars those people if, for example, they do not buy a parking space? Or buy a car later. In my opinion it is being built recklessly, there is no space left, everything is furnished, it is not surprising that people move to live in the country ”, says the local neighbor.

According to Vilnius residents, residents are also outraged that neither the developer nor the municipality consult with the community, the new construction is presented as fact and people can express their opinion, except for the amount of greenery around the new ones. apartment blocks.

“Nobody agrees with us, they build as many apartment buildings as the businessmen want, and we have to suffer in traffic jams,” Asta fears.

Similar thoughts flow on social media, where active Žirmūnai residents share future projects in the district. Residents say that there are not enough green areas in Žirmūnai, that there are parking problems, traffic jams, etc.

The municipality says that everything is under control

It should come as no surprise that development in Žirmūnai is intensifying. The Vilnius City Municipality has named this district one of the priorities, which provides for more intensive development of bicycles, trails and green areas. Mindaugas Pakalnis, the chief architect of Vilnius, claims that the intensification of the development of Žirmūnai is a natural process of growth of the city: Žirmūnai is transformed from a Soviet rest area into a multifunctional extension of the city center.

“We will continue to strive to find more jobs, services, housing diversity, urban streets and public spaces, so that social life and services can focus on the streets and children can play quietly in safe yards,” he said.

Speaking of existing and possible future traffic jams in this district, M. Pakalnis emphasizes that a compact city reduces traffic jams, because jobs and services can be found closer to home.

Meanwhile, city chief engineer Anton Nikitin stresses that, as in the entire city, mobility-related changes are the result of planned complex measures.

“Regarding the territory of Žirmūnai in particular, it is planned to improve public transport opportunities (A lanes are planned in both Kareivių and Kalvarijų st.). There is an excellent choice of public transport at the entrances to the territory, in the next few Years. Years, the installation of the missing connections will improve the situation even more, so the need to travel by car will be less and less here. This is also determined by the location itself, which is only 2 km from the center of the city. city ​​”, comments the interlocutor.

The city will have to deal with certain problems.

Mindaugas Statulevičius, President of the Lithuanian Real Estate Development Association, also talks about the multifunctionality and inevitable development of Žirmūnai. According to him, during the Soviet era, Žirmūnai was designed not only as a district of life, but also of production and military infrastructure.

“Now Žirmūnai is probably one of the districts with the most conversions in Vilnius. What is happening now, the latest and most intense development, is usually in those areas that previously had other functions,” says the interlocutor.

As a result, there is no planned infrastructure to live in those areas: green areas, more convenient connections to the city center. On the other hand, according to M. Statulevičius, the district has potential because the public transport system is conveniently planned, although there is a real lack of public transport (the so-called A lane) at least on Kareivių street. However, according to the interlocutor, the situation improves somewhat thanks to the well-developed infrastructure of bicycle and pedestrian paths, especially in the part of Žirmūnai, which is closer to the city center.

“There are definitely projects coming out soon. They will create additional burdens for the infrastructure, now we can see that Žirmūnų Street is not always easy and fast to pass. It will be a headache for the municipality because there is a street, but it has four lanes, until now there is no space for the bus lane, although it should be there, because in this case public transport loses the competition with the car, because it is equally congested with all the cars, “says M. Statulevičius.

The interests of the local community are ignored

It must be recognized that the city needs to be ordered and the old abandoned grounds need to be restored. Although the townspeople prefer to see parks and squares in them, according to the urban planner Vytautas Buinevičius, the city must be more dense, settlements must be built, because it is an alternative to living on the road. However, in order not to make life in the city a factor that negatively affects the citizen, it is very important how this compaction and the development of new apartment buildings are carried out. The problem, according to the urban planner, is that nowadays little is thought about the added benefits for the inhabitants of the neighborhood.

“The fact that people come to live in the city is good, but how it is compacted and built is very important. If that project responds to the environment or not. I believe that each new project that arises in an old apartment building has to bring benefits. Because you can’t afford not to react to the environment. Each new building can make the situation better or worse. Meanwhile, those problems are many and each project must be used to improve the environment. It means that there is a need to better shape spaces, improve public space, plant more greenery, and form a square for the entire neighborhood community. It is necessary to generate additional benefits for the community that already lives there, ”says V. Buinevičius.