On 3rd September Street, at the Halkokondili traffic light, middle-aged German tourists casually walk towards Omonia. He jokes, gesticulates, enjoys the warm Athenian sun. If not for the jets of the fountain, he could have seen the Sacred Rock in the distance. A camera is hanging on the man’s backpack, which is of some value if the value of the cameras is proportional to their mass. Suddenly, I hear the desperate voice of a taxi driver yelling at them from the street “be careful, be careful,” using Esperanto pantomime to warn them that “they’re stealing here.” The Germans are confused for a while, but manage to thank the Greek driver for his interest.

I’m a stone’s throw from Omonia, on Lavriou Square, which today is nothing more than an extended alley lined with a few forgotten coffee shops and rowdy big chain bakeries. A woman of exotic beauty and somewhat eccentric clothes for that time (still noon) is probably waiting for the first customers of the day. Am I wrong? Isn’t that what I think? But no one around me cares.

construction sites

In addition to the bustle of the Athenian streets, there is also the bustle of compressors: from all sides you are besieged by the rumble of scattered construction sites. Dilapidated buildings fringed with scaffolding, most of which have been abandoned for years, are now repurposed and claiming a place in the Athenian dream of the 21st century. Most of them become hotels, but just a few meters away I stumble upon the largest project in the area, which is nothing more than the transformation of Mignon into a universal round-the-clock complex that will include shops, offices, dining areas. , as well as 45 apartments for permanent residence (architect Minos Digenis).

The work has begun, and the big news is not only the return of the legendary Athenian brand to the life of the city, but the decision of Dimand, the development company behind the new Mignon, to add a permanent residence option to its ambitious plan. I feel I am witnessing an important change in the identity of the region of the wider Omonia, which however is currently under the radar of the media as well as the Athenian small talk.

In fact, the apartments will be created in a separate building that will be part of the Mignon building block and will face the back side of the pavement overlooking Omonia Square and the Acropolis, a traffic-free Patision. where they have the most extraverted functions (trade, offices, restaurant). The more commercial part of the new Minion will be ready in the third quarter of 2024, while the residential part is scheduled to be completed in about a year, in the second quarter of 2025.

For the first time in the post-war history of Omonia, a bet on permanent residence will be tested.

But it’s not just minions. Dimand itself appears to be strategically entering the residential real estate market in the center of Athens (a market it is creating thanks to Mignon’s dynamic redevelopment), investing heavily in a number of properties around Omonia. His moves to create housing are illustrative both in the listed building that housed the traditional Damigos toy store on Apello Street (behind the old Lampropoulos, now Notos in Hautia) for decades, and in the listed building of the Bank of Emporiki at the crossroads on streets of Sophocleous and Aeolos. But Dimand is not the only one who takes risks.

But within a radius of a few tens of meters from the square, two important residential projects are underway: the first concerns the conversion of the old offices of the newspaper Apogeumatini on Phedia Street into an apartment building (work is underway), as well as the transformation of the architectural monument of the Ellada Hotel at the beginning of September 3 into a residential complex . Both of these plans bear the seal of the Thessaloniki Architectural Office headed by Ms. Maria Deda (Deda & Architects).

Minion

In Dimand’s first announcement of a new era of minions, there was no place to live. This changed along the way. What was the rationale for the company’s decision to renovate the historic department store to include a serious residential area? “The main condition for Athens to come alive, to become safer and more accessible, is the return of housing to its center,” Olga Itziou, head of Dimand’s General Directorate of Operations, tells us. “The Mignon building complex will be of mixed use because mixed use provides vitality and diversity, allowing for small growth poles. At the same time, from an environmental point of view, this is the best approach, since access to jobs, restaurants, services, sports facilities, shops, etc. without a car is easier.”

Speaking to Dimand’s people, I’m curious to ask if there is any interest in Minion’s apartments. “After the first announcement of housing construction in Mignon, we were surprised by the interest of people in getting more information,” emphasizes Ms. Ichiu. “This partly confirmed our initial thoughts about the need to return the residence to the center and, in particular, to Mignon. At the moment we have a list of more than 100 people interested in buying an apartment.” Most residences start at 60-65 sqm and go up to 115 sqm. Indeed, what buyer profile does Dimand focus on, taking into account the specifics of the region? Basically I mean the lack of schools and security problems at night.

“The buyer profile includes young professionals, young couples or singles, families with older children, couples whose children have grown up and moved away and want to start a new life, so they are close to the wide range of options that the center offers,” notes Ms. Itziu . “Also among the interested there are many Greeks abroad who want to return to Athens and are looking for a place of residence in the center near their work. 80% of them want to walk everywhere and not use a car. In terms of safety, we believe that as the center develops and modernizes, it comes to life and becomes more secure.”

“I didn’t leave. The area retains its charm…”

Architect Dimitris Ioannidis has been a permanent resident of the center of Athens since 2014. He lives in Sturnari Street, on the part of the road below Patision, a few hundred meters from Omonia, a “familiar” street, he points out, from his student years at the Polytechnic. “I would say that the worst period in the region was 2015-2016, that is, almost immediately, when I decided to move to the center for permanent residence. The crisis led to frequent demonstrations, mostly around the Polytechnic University, with Molotov cocktails and street fires. The apparition was repeated weekly, almost ritually, and especially on weekends.

As a result, the life of the inhabitants turned into a real hell. This, combined with the unhindered traffic and drug dealing in the area, drove me to despair, as I had to step over human bodies many times to get to the front porch of my apartment building. The police did something or didn’t want to do something. I would say that in recent years the situation has completely changed. However, the phenomenon of drug use and sale persists on the streets of Exarchia, Vathi Square and Omonia.”

Why does he still insist on living in a neighborhood that doesn’t look like a neighborhood and certainly doesn’t have the infrastructure of a neighborhood? “Because the area remains charming, multicultural and close to everything, I literally go to work downtown with my car parked in a closed car park. If I wanted something to be done it would be opening more places to eat and be entertained that stay open in the evenings as well. After 6 p.m. the district dies, that is, there is no connection with other districts of the center. How does he see the interest of investors in the development of apartments for permanent residence near Omonia? “What I’ve noticed is the rapid development of hotel units popping up from time to time in buildings that have been abandoned or vacant. A good sign and a good development for the region, but I hope they can cover the cost of the investment as the competition will be huge and the market tends to saturate.

Also, I expect the municipality of Athens to take a little more care of public spaces, sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, cleanliness. As for the Minion, I would say that it is a new concept, very close to what we know from abroad, but bold enough for this particular area of ​​Athens. We are waiting to see the result, but of course, instead of seeing the forgotten frame of such an emblematic building for Athens, it is obviously better to make this rediscovery with multiple purposes, commercial and residential at the same time.”

“Adventure”

Would he himself advise a young man or a young couple to make such a seemingly radical decision to live in a wider area? “A tricky question, as the area’s only asset that once existed, the low rent, doesn’t seem to be relevant anymore. Rents have skyrocketed, even in apartment buildings that are out of service, with no storage areas and, of course, no parking spaces. Well, for the bachelor or young couple who would like to experience a bit of the “adventure” of life in the area, yes, I would say come. But for families with children or the elderly, my personal opinion will probably be something more complicated.

However, I often see groups of young people, mostly foreigners, staying in Airbnb type apartments in the area and seem to be “fun”. The area is charming despite all the problems.”