The area of Vereggaria in Kato Polemidia has transformed into a massive construction site where the construction of student dormitories for the Cyprus University of Technology (TEPAK) has been underway for about two months now.
Trucks, excavators, and bulldozers are diligently working to complete the first phase of the project.
Due to its size, the project will be executed in two phases, with the first scheduled to finish within the next 30 months (May 2026), delivering two buildings to accommodate the first 154 students. The entire project is expected to be fully operational by September 2027.
The site was handed over to the contractor (Wade Adams – Miltiades Neophytou JV consortium) on October 24, 2023, and initial actions such as demarcation, mapping, and fencing followed.
Speaking to Phileleftheros, the site engineer, Yiannis Economides, explained that due to its vastness, the area had to be initially fenced and secured to prevent unauthorized entry.
After the permanent fencing, tree cutting was carried out with the appropriate permit from the Department of Forests. Subsequently, excavation boundaries were defined, and safe methods were calculated, considering that the excavation would reach depths of up to 8 meters.
For about a month and a half, excavators have been removing substantial volumes of soil to construct the two underground floors for over 200 parking spaces.
Excavation is progressing rapidly, and according to Mr. Economides, it spans 250 meters in length, 37 meters in width, and involves approximately 60,000 cubic meters of excavation. Currently, excavation is in the first underground parking space, and within the week, marking and excavation of rainwater wells are expected to commence.
According to the site engineer, the works are progressing smoothly according to the schedules set by the construction company.
Due to the project’s magnitude, tasks and execution have been divided, so once excavation is complete, construction work can begin.
Additionally, milestones have been set, with waterproofing and concrete works expected to commence by the end of January and early February 2024.
Daily, the site boasts a stable team of architects, civil engineers, surveyors, a supervisor, and measurers, with each overseeing the progress of the work.
The consortium is also proceeding with the removal of pipes constructed with asbestos, which were buried in certain areas of the site.
“The people who carried out the asbestos removal indicated them to us, as the pipes were invisible. We located them, and tomorrow they are expected to be removed and taken away from the construction site by a specialized team that has submitted their methodologies to the Department of Labour Inspection and received approval,” explained Mr. Economides, noting that it is not a large quantity, but it will be counted during their removal.
The project, costing €56.3 million plus VAT, includes 500 student dormitories and other auxiliary spaces for the needs of the student and university community.
According to the schedule, a total of 42 months are expected to be required for the completion of the entire project.
The total covered area of the project is 35,000 square meters, including over 200 underground parking spaces, student reception offices, lounges, spaces for daily activities, a restaurant with a fully equipped kitchen and services, a gym, an aerobics room, laundry facilities, and a multipurpose room.
These facilities will support activities in the buildings that will be developed, whether for research or educational programs, within the framework of the master plan.
