What are the public properties and government villas that will be "forgiven" to private individuals for towers and hotels!

The government decided last year to launch a new partnership with private business, to bring about what it is calling the revitalization of state property.

These are old buildings, offices and state land that, through agreements, will be reimagined into new projects, which will be financed by the private sector.

In this initiative, the state aims to benefit from new office space without spending funds, while the private sector will acquire construction land, which will enter the real estate market.

The Albanian Investment Corporation is the main institution implementing this project, which is related to the development and management of real estate.

But what does the state benefit from this new form of partnership, starting from the new Cadastre buildings and the government complex, to the LIFT and Void towers or the government residences in Velipojë and Vlorë, as well as the "Selman Stërmasi" stadium and the new National Library building.

In June 2024, the government would for the first time initiate procedures for several projects that would potentially be built on state property, in partnership with the private sector.

The competition that set the stage for this new phase was initially announced by the National Territorial Planning Agency and had two lots, where in several stages the best projects would be selected, which would then be developed in partnership with the private sector.

In this relationship, the state will benefit from new office space, while the private sector, which will finance the projects, will receive construction land for sale in some of the best areas of the capital that will immediately enter the real estate market.

In September of last year, the winning projects were selected, which are now in the phase of searching for private investors, with whom the state will enter into a partnership relationship.

In this process, the most important role has been entrusted to the Albanian Investment Corporation, which is publishing announcements regarding the calls and will follow up on the agreements step by step.

More projects have now been added to the table and this form of partnership with the private sector has been extended to several other state properties, including the "Selman Stërmasi" stadium, the new National Library, or the government villas in Velipojë and Vlora, as part of the "Hospitality" sub-project.

All these calls are currently active at the Albanian Investment Corporation in various stages.

This list, as stated by Prime Minister Edi Rama, is expected to include the Palace of Congresses, a bid that has not yet been opened, which must first go through the procedure of transferring property rights to the Corporation.

But what do these projects foresee, what is expected of the state to release and receive on a case-by-case basis? "Monitor" lists all these projects and their details below.

Construction of the Cadastre building and LIFT Tower

The Albanian Investment Corporation first opened the call for the first phase of the two projects, the first of which is the sub-project "Construction and management of the Albanian Cadastre building", through the contract "Development through entrepreneurship of LIFT Tower".

The Corporation intends to select a private partner, in the capacity of Entrepreneur for the development of the property for the venture, by realizing the architectural project idea of ??the merger of the entities Baukuh Studio Associato & Muoto & Sam Chermayeff Office & Yellow Office & Bollinger Grohmann & Atmoslab & Simoj Boudvin & Arkimade.

To enable the development of the Albanian Cadastre building (public condition of property transfer) and so that public institutions can benefit from 34,000 m² of construction with modern and quality parameters at no cost, for this purpose, the Property Management Agency is making available for development with the LIFT Tower building venture, its property on "Muhamet Gjollesha" Street, near the Faculty of Civil Engineering, approximately 2357 m².

This means that the construction of the Cadastre Building will be done in coordination with the state's share in the LIFT Tower building.

"Furthermore, the private partner covers the total cost of the detailed architectural project, the total cost of the building permit and the construction of the entire LIFT Tower building, on the property for entrepreneurship, regardless of its percentage in this building, and covers the total cost of the design, building permit and total construction of the Albanian Cadastre building, on the property for public development. The costs associated with the construction of the Albanian Cadastre building are covered by the respective value of the state's share in LIFT Tower. The private partner also covers any costs arising from the fulfillment of the commitments made in the qualification phase, regardless of their citation in this description," the Corporation's documents state.

This project, although it managed to pass the first phase where two companies applied to be part of the competition, did not submit any economic bids in the second phase.

As a result, the Corporation announced on March 3 the cancellation of the first procedure. On March 4, the same procedure was reopened, starting from the beginning and leaving April 17 as the deadline for interested companies to apply.

Construction of the Government Complex and VOID Tower

The second sub-project to enter into partnership with the Albanian Investment Corporation is the one for the "Construction and Management of the Government Complex" with the contract object "Development through entrepreneurship of VOID Tower".

The Corporation, through this public competitive procedure, announced that it intended to select the private partner, in the capacity of Entrepreneur for the development of the property for the venture, by realizing the architectural project idea of ??the merger of the entities Andrea Kaputo & Focus Architecture & OpenFabric & James Beckett.

This project envisages the construction of the government complex in the urban area near the "Selman Stërmasi" stadium on a plot of approximately 11,892 m² and the VOID Tower in the urban area on "Jeanne d'Arc" boulevard.

In this context, the private sector will develop construction at the Civil Aviation and Delegations Park, with the state taking the corresponding share at the VOID tower to be built on Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard.

This project has advanced to now have a winning company. In the second phase,  Progeen sh.pk. and  Aiba Kompani sh.a. competed.  According to the evaluation, Aiba was declared the winner with 46.1% of the surface area, leaving behind Progeen with 45% of the corresponding surface area.

The new “Selman Stërmasi” stadium

In December of last year, the "Selman Stermasi" stadium was transferred to the Albanian Investment Corporation with a special government decision, which authorized the latter to develop this property in partnership with the private sector for a new stadium.

During an event held on this occasion, representatives of the institutions declared that the new "Selman Stërmasi" stadium will be UEFA category 4, with a capacity of 14,000 to 16,000 seats.

In total, according to the institutions, the territory for use is 60 thousand square meters.

"Part of this is public property, which constitutes 50 thousand square meters. The program that we intend to establish through the ideas that will come to the competition is 120 thousand square meters," declared Adelina Greca, Director of the Territorial Planning Agency, emphasizing that in the first phase there will be 5 teams that will be selected, who will also receive prizes for their project ideas.

In the next phase, three of the teams will compete to emerge with a winner, taking into account the most economically viable offer. This project is currently in its second phase.

Partnership with private sector, the state "releases" land for a new Library

After the transfer of several properties to the Albanian Investment Corporation by the Council of Ministers, the latter announced in January the call for the development with private parties of another project, such as the one for the new National Library Building.

The latter will take place on several properties on "Gramoz Pashko" street near the Student City, with a land area of ??27 thousand m2.

The recently announced call requires private parties interested in developing these state-owned properties in partnership to submit potential projects that will go through several phases.

The properties made available are in an area of ??Tirana known as the former German Villas, while the decision transferring these properties to the Corporation foresees several sub-projects such as "Copëzat", "Hospitality" and the "New National Library Building".

In the case in question, we are dealing with the opening of the call for the National Library subproject.

"This investment project aims to conceive and design a multifunctional development in the area of ??the former 'German Villas', an important location in the capital, known for its dynamic urbanization and proximity to a number of destinations and key nodes in the surrounding urban area, turning it into a multifunctional center to increase functional efficiency and contribute to added value in the social life and economy of the city of Tirana.

The investment project is implemented through a partnership model, where the Corporation has the role of developer of state-owned properties and intermediary between the public institution, which has an interest in developing its property and benefiting from a modern library, and the private partner, which possesses the financial, human and executive resources and has an interest in implementing the investment project," the Corporation's announcement states, setting a deadline for expressions of interest on February 10, 2025.

According to the announcement, the qualification phase (Phase I) consists of the submission of an application by interested entities, an application which contains the preliminary architectural design concept of the multifunctional development project on "Gramoz Pashko" street, Tirana (former "German Villages") and documentation that proves the fulfillment of the conditions and criteria for the qualification of the applicants.

The selection phase (Phase II) consists of submitting a proposal, which contains two separate envelopes:

(a) the first envelope contains the architectural design of the multifunctional development on “Gramoz Pashko” street, Tirana (former “German Villages”) and

(b) the second envelope contains the financial offer, as detailed in the Invitation for Proposal. The deadline for submission of applications was 11 March 2025.

Companies that passed the first phase for the towers and the stadium

As of February 24, the companies that have passed the first phase of qualification for the VOID Tower and LIFT Tower projects will officially enter the second phase. For the “Selman Stërmasi” stadium project, which will be developed according to the same idea as the private one, only the winners of the first phase have been announced so far, and the date for the second phase has yet to be determined.

But which are the companies that have actually passed the first phase for each of the projects?

VOID Tower and Government Complex

For the subproject for the construction and management of the government complex with the contract object "Development through entrepreneurship of VOID Tower" by the Albanian Investment Corporation, four companies have qualified after the first phase of the competition.

2. “PROGEEN” LLC Company

3. “DK Construction ONE Corp” Company

4. The company "AIBA Company" sh.a.

LIFT Tower dhe Godina e re e Kadastrës

Për nënprojektin, ndërtimi dhe menaxhimi i godinës së Kadastrës Shqiptare me titull kontrate “Zhvillimi nëpërmjet LIFT Tower”, Korporata njoftoi më herët se ishin të paktën dy kompani që morën pjesë në fazën e parë, që pas vlerësimit kaluan në fazën e dytë.

Gjatë kësaj të fundit, asnjëra prej tyre nuk bëri një ofertë ekonomike duke sjellë për pasojë anulimin e procedurës dhe gjithçka të nisë nga e para me afatin 17 prill për të gjithë kompanitë që duan të aplikojnë për të hyrë në partneritet me shtetin për këtë projekt.

1.Shoqëria “EDIL AL IT” sh.p.k.

2.Shoqëria “DK Construction ONE Corp”

Projekti i stadiumit “Selman Stërmasi”

Projekti për rijetëzimin e stadiumit “Selman Stërmasi” u njoftua në fund të vitit të shkuar duke ftuar partnerët privatë të shprehnin interes nëpërmjet projektideve paraprake. Në fazën e parë u paraqitën 10 projektide, por për fazën e dytë u kualifikuan vetëm pesë prej tyre.

1.Foster & Partners + Artech Studio sh.p.k + BOLV Oil

2.OMA + Diagonal Projektim & Zbatim sh.p.k. + Albanian Investment Construction sh.p.k

3.Office Kersten Geers David Van Severen + l’AUC + Baukuh + Arquitectura-G + Yellow Office + Ne Arkitektët + Matilde Cassani + Bollinger & Grohmann + ALES Construction

4.Far Frohn & Royas + Progeen sh.p.k

5.ZAHA HADID Architects + AGIKONS

Vilat qeveritare në Vlorë do të kthehen në hotele luksoze

Projekti “Zhvillimi dhe menaxhimi i pronave shtetërore” ka një tjetër nënprojekt të pagëzuar si “Hospitality” dhe që synon të rikonceptojë rezidencat qeveritare të Vlorës në struktura akomodimi elitar.

Aktualisht Agjencia Kombëtare e Planifikimit të Territorit do të jetë institucioni që do të udhëheqë konkursin e projektimit.

Pas kësaj faze ku do të zgjidhet projekti fitues, do të kalojë me zbatimin e tij në partneritet me sektorin privat, në një proces që sërish do të udhëhiqet nga Korporata e Investimeve Shqiptare.

“Ky projekt ka si synim të transformojë këto rezidenca nga struktura të amortizuara dhe të pashfrytëzuara në qendra bashkëkohore të turizmit elitar dhe zhvillimit ekonomik. Duke ruajtur vlerat historike të përdorimit të këtyre pronave, rikonceptimi do të sjellë një harmoni mes së shkuarës dhe së ardhmes, duke i dhënë rëndësi jo vetëm inovacionit, por edhe ruajtjes së identitetit të tyre. Rezidencat qeveritare do të përfshijnë standardet më të larta të mikpritjes bashkëkohore, të mbështetura nga teknologjitë më të avancuara dhe dizajni bashkëkohor. Transformimi i tyre synon të krijojë një përvojë unike për turistët, investitorët dhe personalitetet VIP, duke i kthyer ato në modele të qëndrueshmërisë ekonomike dhe mjedisore”, nënvizohet në dokumentet e thirrjes.

Rezidencat qeveritare në Vlorë ndodhen tek zona që njihet si Uji i Ftohtë, rreth 6 kilometra nga qendra e qytetit. Lidhur me rikonceptimin e tyre janë të paktën tre ndërtesa që janë pjesë e konkursit.

E para, rezidenca Qeveritare “Vila nr. 2” ku sipërfaqja ndërtesës 1126 m². Rezidenca Qeveritare “Vila nr.6” ku sipërfaqja ndërtesës është 332.48 m² dhe e treta rezidenca Qeveritare “Vila nr.9” me sipërfaqe të ndërtesës 186 m².

Në total, sipërfaqja e konkursit: 1,644.7 m². Por cili do të jetë roli i partnerit privat në këtë rast. Sipas dokumenteve, partneri privat në këtë model të bashkëpunimit me Korporatën dhe institucionet publike luan një rol thelbësor në transformimin dhe zhvillimin e pronave dhe godinave shtetërore, me qëllim përshtatjen e tyre në struktura akomoduese hotel ose butik hotel, të cilat mundet t’u bashkohen strukturave që menaxhohen ose janë në proces ndërtimi/projektimi për t’u operuar e menaxhuar si struktura akomoduese me 5 yje të certifikuara/kualifikuara si të tilla nga Ministria përgjegjëse për turizmin apo subjekti me “brand name” ndërkombëtar.

“Ky partner zgjidhet për t’u përfshirë në këtë model për burimet financiare të tij apo partnerëve të tij dhe për kapacitetet e tij të provuara organizative dhe ekzekutive në realizimin e projekteve me natyrë ngritje dhe operim të strukturave akomoduese hoteleri, butik hotel të një niveli të tillë, të cilat mund të përdoren nga personalitete apo figura të ftuara nga institucionet e përfshira në protokollin e shtetit”, – thuhet në dokument.

Afati për dorëzimin e aplikimeve është data 17 mars 2025.

Rikonceptohet edhe vila qeveritare në Velipojë, hotel markë ndërkombëtare

Vila qeveritare në Velipojë pritet të jetë gjithashtu pjesë e një marrëveshjeje partneriteti me sektorin privat për ta rikonceptuar atë në një strukturë elitare, por si fillim faza ku ndodhet ky proces është ajo e garës për të zgjedhur projektin më të përshtatshëm.

Korporata e Investimeve Shqiptare njoftoi se kjo pasuri, pjesë e projektit të përgjithshëm “Zhvillimi dhe menaxhimi i pronave shtetërore”, përmes nënprojektit “Hospitality”, është nxjerrë për interes dhe afati i fundit për aplikim është data 28 shkurt.

“Ky konkurs synon të gjenerojë ide dhe propozime inovative për transformimin e rezidencës qeveritare në Velipojë në struktura të akomodimit elitar, duke krijuar destinacione moderne dhe të qëndrueshme që përmbushin standardet më të larta ndërkombëtare të luksit.

Projekti do të luajë një rol të rëndësishëm në rigjallërimin ekonomik dhe turistik të këtyre zonave, duke i kthyer këto prona të nënshfrytëzuara në qendra tërheqëse që reflektojnë harmoninë mes inovacionit dhe peizazhit unik natyror.

Me këtë nismë, promovuesit synojnë të krijojnë një precedent për zhvillimin e qëndrueshëm dhe efikas të pronave shtetërore, duke kombinuar arkitekturën bashkëkohore dhe teknologjitë më të avancuara me një vizion të integruar për luksin, mikpritjen dhe qëndrueshmërinë”, – thuhet në dokumentet e Korporatës.

Referuar të dhënave që janë bërë publike, kjo pasuri është në total 8100 metra² ku përfshihet edhe ndërtesa.

The property details are: Government Residence “Vila Velipoje”, Shkodër, Cadastral Zone No. 3072, property type “Building + Land”, property number: 5, Building footprint area 1200 m² + Land area 8100 m².

"The institution benefits from new spaces that are more functional, in the conditions of a boutique hotel of a 5-star standard, where high-ranking state figures will continue to benefit from the services that these government buildings will offer, under the conditions set out in the agreement between the Corporation and the DSHQ," the document states.

The private partner, even in this case, will be included in this model for its or its partners' financial resources and for its proven organizational and executive capacities in the implementation of projects of a nature such as the construction and operation of hotel accommodation structures, boutique hotels of such a level, which can be used by personalities or figures invited by institutions included in the state protocol.

The deadline for submitting applications is March 17, 2025./Monitor