Once Belville complex (University village) in New Belgrade is built, nothing will ever be the same in Serbian civil engineering and real estate market !

"Belville" complex in New Belgrade's Block 67, where the participants in Universiade 2009 will be staying during summer 2009, is one of the largest building sites in southeast Europe. Namely, there are currently more than 2,000 people from 20 different companies working on this project, and the investors proudly point to the fact that 19 companies are from Serbia and that they are finishing their job "much before the deadline". Journalists of "eKapija“ have recently visited the site and spoke to the leading men from companies "Delta Invest" and "Block 67 Associates" about this exceptional project.

According to Aleksandar Živanović from company "Delta Invest", which coordinates construction, the project for construction of University village has rehabilitated and alerted the entire building sector in Serbia, which managed to set, as well as to brake, several "building records". The number of workers engaged in construction of this complex is huge, as well as quantity of building materials.

- We build 4,000-5,000 cubic meters of concrete and about 500 tons of armature every week. The structure of one typical floor, depending on the size of the facility, is built within 7-12 days, which is "the world time" – Živanović explains and adds that the completion of construction of the first business facility - GP1, which is reserved for the members of management of the Universiade, is expected very soon. The structure of this facility at 13,500 square meters has been finished within 3.5 months - 45 days before the deadline !

Because of all these facts, as Živanović points out, this unique project is not only the success of companies "Block 67 Associates" (whose stockholders are "Delta Real Estate" and "Hypo Alpe Adria Group"), "Delta Invest" (which coordinates construction), "Mace" (the supervisor), but also of the entire Serbian building sector, which proved that, after many difficult years, it was once again ready to cope with large projects.

Bigger complex has not been built in this region for decades. After all problems with the realization of the project and pauses in construction that lasted much too long, we were forced to reorganize quickly in order to reduce the risk of losing organization of Universiade to a minimum. We had the meeting with all building companies in the country that could contribute to implementation of such big project, we told them what we expected from them and waited for their response - what is it that they can do. We announced tenders for one business and one residential facility in order to get future "unit" prices, we chose eight companies, set "difficult" terms and introduced them to the business. In addition, we started to develop positive spirit of building competition, but we did not let the quality suffer because of that. We also started to reward and fine, and we managed to beat the time – says Dragan Buđevac, the CEO of "Delta Invest", and points out that 8 building and 12 installation companies from Serbia, which were "forced" to modernize personnel, equipment and method of work because of the nature of the job, are currently working on the project.

"Belville" complex will cost 200m EUR, it will occupy the area of 13.7 ha, gross surface of future facilities will be 260,000 square meters, and 2 business facilities, 14 apartment-business buildings, 6 underground garages and access junctions with complete infrastructure will be built prior to May 2009. The entire complex, as Buđevac explains, is designed to function as "the city within the city" during the Universiade and afterwards.

"Belville" complex, which will host over 10,000 sportsmen and sports workers from more than 170 countries, will be turned, after the Universiade, into residential-business block with 1,788 apartments (124 0.5-room apartments, 372 one-room apartments, 136 1.5-room apartments, 696 2-room apartments, 292 3-room apartments, 72 3.5-room apartments and 96 4-room apartments) where the smallest apartment will be 30 square meters big, while the largest will 118 square meters big. There will also be 333 outlets, 30,000 square meters of office space in 2 business building and about 2,543 parking places. Total surface of office space will be 31,386 square meters.

There will be two concepts of use of "Belville" complex. The first will be applied during the Universiade, while the second will be used afterwards. During the Universiade, the complex will include a bank office, dry cleaning store, post office, coffee shops, sports gear outlets, quick delivery, restaurants, that is, all contents that should satisfy the needs of one such manifestation. After the Universiade, everything can be changed. The city took on the obligation to build kindergarten, school, clinic and other necessary institutions in the complex. We will finish the apartments only to the level that is necessary for organization of the Universiade and accommodation of sportsmen. We are not going to install internal doors, radiators, or anything else that can be serously damaged. These are the works that will be carried out after the Universiade and required funds have already been provided for them.

The sale of apartments should start in March 2008. The price per square meter has not been set yet, but, as Slobodan Mihajlović, the executive manager of company "Block 67 Associates“ announced, the apartments are "intended" for young people, as well as young couples, who live from their salaries.

That is not going to be Beverly Hills, but only a part of the city where young people will live with their families. The sale will be organized in the way that the retail booth (with "sample" apartment) will be opened within the complex and that will be the place where the clients will be able to get all required information and check the quality of construction. There will be our advisers, sellers, as well as "financial" advisers from Hypo Alpe Adria Group, which is one of stockholders. The clients will be able to finish the entire deal at one place, and the apartments will be ready for tenants in October 2009 – says Mihajlović and claims that 1854 apartments, which will appear on the market "at some moment", will definitely result in changes on the real estate market.

Serbian real estate market is unorganized and the number of nearly 2,000 apartments can lead to market stabilization and fall in prices of "older" apartments in Belgrade, which is seen by the investors as another contribution to city of Belgrade and young people of Serbia.

Let us name only some of the contractors : Ratko Mitrović Dedinje, Montprojekt, Projektomontaža ad, Monterra, Soko engineering, Jedinstvo Sevojno, Eluplastic, Interfast, Građevinar Kocić, Grading Paraćin, Gradina, Valve profil Kraljevo, Energoprojekt oprema ad, Deneza M inženjering, Exing, Integral inženjering Banja Luka, Elinzo, Elektrotim, Termotim, Traco invest ...