Athens’ Former Airport Site Becomes an €8 Billion District Called “The Ellinikon”
A roughly €8 billion project called “The Ellinikon” is under way on the site of the former Ellinikon airport on the coast of Athens, the Greek capital. Its centerpiece is the 200-metre “Riviera Tower”, set to be Greece’s tallest building.
A new city district worth about eight billion euros, called “The Ellinikon”, is being built on the coast of Athens, the capital of Greece. The project covers the site of the former Ellinikon international airport and is intended to become a modern, upscale urban area. The airport stopped operating in 2001, and a new part of the city with residential buildings, shops, restaurants and leisure venues is now taking its place.
A skyscraper at the centre
At the heart of the development is “Riviera Tower”, a building about 200 metres tall that will become the tallest in Greece. It is planned to contain around 170 luxury homes across 50 floors, along with amenities for residents including pools, a spa, gyms and extensive green areas. The tower is designed as a green residential skyscraper with plantings and terraces. Construction began in 2022.
Other components
The site also includes a new seaside district, “Little Athens”, with housing, shops and services intended to let the neighbourhood function as a self-sufficient part of the city. “Riviera Galleria” is planned as a luxury shopping and entertainment venue with about 80 shops, restaurants, beauty salons and other services. A large park and hotels are also planned.
Comparison with Dubai
The scale of the project and its intended lifestyle led the British newspaper “The Sun” to compare the new district with Dubai. The aim is to create a coastal environment that attracts local residents as well as foreign investors and wealthy people. Greece also offers tax advantages to foreign residents and investors. According to “The Sun”, these measures, together with the new urban environment, help Greece compete for the attention of an international population.
Athens has one advantage over Dubai: it is in Europe and can be reached from Latvia considerably faster. It also offers a Mediterranean climate and life by the sea.
