Phaliron Bay area under reconstruction

The upgrading of the area, however, was limited to the construction of Olympic facilities, such as beach volleyball and handball courts, without implementing the plan drawn up by the Athens Regulatory Planning Organization for the opening of the city towards the sea, but also for a series of interventions in the area.

The vision of redevelopment came to the fore in 2010, on the occasion of the construction of the Center for Culture of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNFCF). In fact, the foundation funded a 3 million-euro study on the  extension of the area, developed by the renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano, who designed the SNFCF. However, this project was also shelved as the necessary funding from the was never been secured.

In August 2016, by law, the largest part of the area passed, about 500 acres, to the Attica region. A year later, the tender procedure was completed and the projects, with a budget of 75 million euros, were launched for the first phase of the Phaliron Bay redevelopment.

The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by the end of February 2019. It will include the construction of two underground flood canals, between Syngrou Avenue and the Ilisos River, and between the estuaries of Kifissos and Ilissos. The two canals will be fitted with hydraulic systems that will collect the accumulated water forestalling the flooding of the Moschato and Kallithea areas.

An intervention, which will be appreciated by citizens more than any other, will involve the displacement of Poseidonos Avenue, through the creation of a new 2km long expressway, from Syngrou Avenue to the National Highway.

In two places, at the height of Moschato and Kallithea, the new coastal avenue will be underground for a length of 600 meters, as two pedestrian ways will be constructed to provide access for people to the sea.

The pedestrian crossings, which will also host two small green parks, will be 300 meters long each. The design of the project also envisages the construction of a water purification unit near Eleonas, in the Kifissos river.

After cleaning, the water will be transported to tanks in the 220-acre park that will be created in the second phase of the project, to be used to irrigate green areas. In the first phase of the project, the tram lines will be shifted to the same level as Poseidonos Avenue from Syngrou to the mouth of Kifissos, while a bicycle track will be constructed alongside the Ilisos River.

With regard to the second phase of the project, with an initial budget of 90 million euros, a park of 220 acres and the construction of 3 parking spaces of 980 seats are planned. Two of the parking spaces will be underground and will be built at the edge of the two pedestrian bridges, on the sea side. The third parking space of 180 places is planned to be built in an unbuilt area near the Peace and Friendship Stadium.

The park, which will be public, will have low vegetation that will match the Attic landscape. With regard to the maintenance of the area after the completion of the second phase, which is expected to last about 2.5 years, the Attica Region intends to tender for the lease of the old Olympic facilities to private enterprise.

The Olympic venues have an area of ​​approximately 11,000 m². and can be used for concerts and various cultural events, such as theatrical performances.

This has been done in recent years with the Water Park, which hosts concerts with significant benefits. It is indicative that annual revenues from the utilization of Water Square are about 700 thousand euros.

The redevelopment of the Phaliron Bay is the largest public work in progress in Attica. The project is funded by the Region.