New attraction on Zlatibor mountain - Construction of tourist and business complex kicks off in spring 2012

Zlatibor may soon get a new tourist and business complex worth EUR 20 million. As Cajetina Mayor Milan Stamatovic announced for eKapija, construction of a multifunctional complex in the location of Zlatibor's bus station may kick off in spring 2012.

- In the best location on Zlatibor mountain, in the very center of this famous tourist destination, we plan to open a new shopping center. That location will go on the auction block so we could find an investor who is ready to invest in this complex. We have already been contacted by the companies that have tourist facilities on Zlatibor, as well as by those interested in investing in the tourism sector - says Stamatovic.

People at the municipality expected the construction of this complex to commence this year, but they are waiting for the adoption of the General Regulation Plan for the town of Cajetina with the settlement of Zlatibor.

- We have been waiting for six months for the Ministry of Spatial Planning to give us consent for the General Regulation Plan, so we could resume the implementation of this project. We expect to finally receive that consent in December in order to start te construction in spring 2012 - Stamatovic explains.

The process of seeking an investor for the shopping center will run parallel to the process of selecting the contractor for the works on the bus station whose future location has already been chosen.

- The plan is to have the bus station relocated to an area at the entrance to Zlatibor, lying to the left of the main route to Nova Varos - says the mayor of Cajetina.

Shopping center, garni hotel, open house, roof sleighing

The future complex, spanning 6,885 square meters, will comprise a shopping center, a garni hotel with about ten luxury suites, an "open house" hosting the municipal administration, whereas the roof will be organized as a park.

- We have decided for an approach allowing for fitting into the natural, mountain surroundings to a maximum extent. An analysis of the morphology of the terrain points to the existence of a relatively flat parcel with significantly elevated terrain in its southwest corner. The main entrance to the shopping center is planned to be situated at the highest point in that corner. Entrances to the remaining two important groups of facilities will be situated in other corners: the entrance to the Open House Zlatibor in the northeast corner, and the entrance to the garni hotel in the southwest corner. There should also be another entrance to the shopping center, probably in the center of the northern side of the complex - Vladimir Stevanovic, architect and member of the team of authors of the preliminary design of this project, explains for eKapija.

A parking lot will be built under the ground, whereas the entrance lounge of the garni hotel, a restaurant, the entrance hall of the Open House Zlatibor with a reception desk, a gallery for occasional exhibitions, entrances to the shopping center, and bigger outlets, such as market, furniture showroom, electronic and household appliances store, should be situated on the ground floor.

- There will be one entrance on the first floor, which will serve as the main entrance to the shopping center, situated in the most attractive, elevated position - Stevanovic explains.

A variety of booths will be located in the hall of the shopping center, in accordance with the standards for booths in shopping centers. The reason for their introduction is the need for the local population to offer their autochthonous handicrafts because Zlatibor is famous for wool and wicker products, teas and souvenirs.

In this way, as our interlocutor explains, an authentic Zlatibor atmosphere will be created within the facility, which is only part of the concept based on an uncompromising respect for the existing context.

- Only rooms and suites will be situated on the first floor of the garni hotel, whereas the Open House Zlatibor will comprise a conference hall with all accompanying facilities. Public, sports, and cultural and communication facilities, such as bookstore, media library, cinema, will be located on the second floor - says the author of the solution.

As our interlocutor stresses, a slanting roof can be used for various purposes - as a summer cinema theater, a playground for kids, a park, and maybe even for skiing and sleighing during the winter. With its structure and the position of layers, green roofs take active part in the summer thermal protection.