The former “Alisida” building in the Charilaou district of Thessaloniki was demolished last August to make way for the construction of a sustainable, green building. Adjacent to the site, a 1.5-acre plot owned by the Municipality of Thessaloniki is slated to become a public green space once the necessary funding is secured.
Local residents’ representatives attended a Thessaloniki municipal council meeting, urging the authorities to take the necessary steps to establish a park with open areas for all ages, highlighting that this is the last undeveloped plot in one of the city’s most densely populated neighborhoods.
They also called for the consideration of an underground municipal parking facility to alleviate the longstanding parking problems in the area. The Mayor of Thessaloniki noted that previous administrations had allowed the private development of the site, but emphasized that the municipality will protect the remaining 1.5 acres of open land.
"We fully support residents’ demands for more green and public spaces," said Deputy Mayor Angeloudis, adding that "the majority of the plot was permanently lost about a decade ago." He also pledged that, if there is a legal mechanism to prevent further construction on privately owned portions, the municipality will pursue it.
Deputy Mayor of Urban Planning, Dimitra Agathidou, explained that the entire Alisida site covers roughly 10 acres, a large part of which belongs to Eurobank and a smaller portion to private owners. She added that the municipality will seek to expropriate the remaining area designated as green space.
Konstantinos Zervas, leader of the main opposition, stated that "we all want to make meaningful use of this green zone," while Spyros Pegas suggested that the municipal authorities explore a land swap with the bank to secure the park’s creation. A similar proposal was made by Nikos Nikisianis of the City Upside Down party, urging the municipality to negotiate with the bank for a swap, donation, or purchase.
Finally, Drosos Tsavlis, head of the All of Us party, raised concerns that asbestos may have been released during the demolition, calling for air quality measurements in the area. He noted that he had already contacted the Physics Department of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) to conduct the tests, as neither the municipality nor the Region of Central Macedonia has the proper equipment.
