Time to open this thread too... although it would be less active than the thread about Riga...

Liepaja "Baltic Sea Park" park to be built until 2006
French investors "Bouygues Batiment International" are completing the necessary design works and permitting to start construction of large entertainment park in Liepaja. Its planned costs - 53 mio EUR.
The construction should start in early 2005 and be completed during one year.
The park will include 300 separate housing units for guests, tropical water entertainment park, hotels, tennis fields, restaurants, cafe, shops and numerous sports installations.
The project will create 1500 new working places in Liepaja.

Pictures from "Gundara Viksnas arhitektu birojs" Webpage - www.gvbirojs.lv
http://www.gvbirojs.lv/25_02/m_aks_2.jpg

http://www.gvbirojs.lv/25_02/m_aks_3.jpg

http://www.gvbirojs.lv/25_02/m_w_5.jpg

http://www.gvbirojs.lv/25_02/int_m_rest_1.jpg

Total area of construction - 24,7 ha. Total area of housing units - 67 000 m2. Capacity of tropical water entertainment park - 2100 people.

Investors today have announced that they are ready to support the logistics to have part of the World Ice Hockey Championship in Liepaja. It has been decided that Riga will have the large ice hockey hall, but still are on-going discussions who will have the second ice-hockey hall - Liepaja or Riga.

The dream of Cybercity in Valmiera
For a while Valmiera was the fastest developing city in Latvia with successful industry - in last years the city somehow has slowed down. Here is located also the Highschool of Vidzeme.
City together with the highschool and IT companies are planning to develop a new IT technology incubator - Cybercity - where university and city will unite their forces to create a row of smaller IT enterprises and institutions.
Unfortunately over the last year there is not much heard about this project - just the wish of involved parties to go on with the project. But we can look at the design of the main Cybercity building... Architects "Silis, Zabers un Klava"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/lecekte/Cybercity2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/lecekte/Cybercity1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/lecekte/Cybercity3.jpg

Technical design of the building should be ready now and earlier there was announced that the construction will start this summer... Nothing heard

9 mio EUR living quartal is built in Jelgava
I decided to leave Jelgava out of Greater Riga ;)

In the middle fo September there would be completed the first 7-floor building of new district in Jelgava. Investor - local "Alia īpašumi" Ltd. Total area of the new district would be 3,2 ha. It will include three 7-floor apartment buildings, kindergarden, shop, office premises in the first floors. There would be more than 150 new apartments.
Whole district would be ready in 2006. In 2008 not far from this district should be built new road to Riga. (so this is part of Greater Riga)
Sorry, can not find pictures.

This time again from Liepaja:
Liepajas Metalurgs starts 100 mio EUR investments
Liepajas Metalurgs is the only large metallurgy factory in Baltics. There is no iron ore mined in Baltics, although Latvia has large deposits which would cover the needs of Earth for centuries... the shallowest of these deposits are 600 m deep ;) But Liepaja factory is in very good location because it is in harbour city and also - it is collector of metall scrap from Baltics.

Company established in 1882. Currently working 2800 people, but one fifth of Liepaja people are dependant on this company. Produces steel, also alloyed steel, different simple steel products - reinfored bars, wire, nails etc. Over the last years the company is making very good business and finally their dream comes true - they start large overall modernisation program! Total exchange of technologies and large rebuilding expected.

Liepajas Metalurgs in the beginning of 20th century:
http://www.metalurgs.lv/img/history.gif
Work in the factory now:
http://www.liepaja.lv/lv/dome/struktura/attistibas_parvalde/parvalde/info_lapa/4/pic/met.jpg

100 mio euro... NICE!you got so much iron ore... why not use it? estonian has it too, well in bogs. What other natural resources Latvia has?

Our iron ore, which is in bogs, has been used in late Iron age already :) This is really tested in 1960ies - 1970ies by our geologists. There is very little left and that (vivianite) is better for making paints. And the mining of the deep iron-ore is not feasible financially. Even gold in such depth would not be financially feasible.
Latvia has not much geological resources... but I am rather happy about this - we are forced now to develop sound economy ourselves.
We have got good building stones: gypsum (5 km from Riga!), dolostone, limestone. Clay for making bricks. Should be some oil in the sea and there is a little also inland. Sulphuric springs and sulphuric mud in Kemeri will bring rich people from all EU over here - this thing can do wonderful things to your bad health ;)

Forest has been our main natural resource over these hard years. Now the intensity of cutting forest should go down and industry comes in its place.

Industrial park near Olaine, not far from the border of the Riga municipality, near the highway to Jelgava looks very nice.... I hope still some new companies will host there.

Factory Latvijas finieris investing 70 mio EUR over next three years, new factory in Rezekne
Wood processing factory "Latvijas finieris", which is located in Bolderaja district (far-away corner of Riga, some 14 km from centre). "Latvijas finieris" currently is one of largest plywood producers in the world, exporting 80% of their production.
Sample of their production
http://www.solidworks.lv/Galery/virt.jpg
Now the factory has announced about construction of brand new factory in Rezekne City, some 220 km east from Riga.

Tomorrow modern waste polygon to be opened near Liepaja
State has divided Latvia in 11 "waste management" districts - in each district would be built top-notch waste storage polygon, there are already established regional waste management companies, there would be developed full waste planning and recycling system up to technologically possible level. Large scale waste separation program in Latvia has not been started but for 10 years already there are small pilot projects trying to teach people to separate waste.
Luckily we managed to be faster than foreign waste management companies and there is established economically most optimal waste management system in Latvia - for sure it would be among the most efficient in the world.
Tomorrow would start operating No. 4 of the 11 modern waste polygons - Grobina waste polygon will serve Liepaja City and district. The first three were built in Talsi, Ventspils, Riga. The creation of these enteprises was extremely complicated - each of them requires conclusion of agreement between some 50 - 100 municipalities, each municipality invests something.
Map of "waste management" regions in Latvia. Orange - in implementation, waste polygons built, other investments on-going. Grey - design ready, blue - design under preparation, green - early planning, red - projects not started.
http://www.varam.gov.lv/id/PUBL/saap_bukl/lpic01.png
Lining the Grobina waste polygon:
http://www.liepajasras.lv/bildes/jaunumi/suunas%20ieklaashana.jpg
Biogas collection system - there would be produced electricity from waste gas.
http://www.liepajasras.lv/bildes/jaunumi/generators%20skeedei.jpg
Lining the bottom of the landfill. In background - Grobina windpark.
http://www.liepajasras.lv/bildes/jaunumi/114_1499_3.jpg

Modern waste landfill is very complicated building. It requires extremely detailed geological investigations, there is developed complex system of leachate (wastewater from the waste) collection, lining with clay, plastic and again clay. There is weighing system, the collected waste is covered with plastic coating to collect methane coming out from it.
Most of the existing landfills in Latvia have been closed, the waste from there is moved to the new landfills (there is less impact on environment) or - if geological investigations show that there is no environmental effect on groundwater - covered with clay and soil, planted with wood. In total there are recultivated some 400 landfills already.
The old landfill of Liepaja city was covered with plastic and there is installed piping which collects methane for energy production - here picture of this system:
http://www.liepajasras.lv/bildes/jaunumi/skrek3.JPG

Liepaja landfill was the first environmental project of the world, which used "emission trade" model through World Bank - rich countries of the world payed large part of this project - spending some millions for environmental investments in Latvia give bigger environmental effect than spending them a thome, where environmental technologies are omnipresent already. Next projects after Liepaja landfill to use "emission trade" are currently on-going - next was eucalypt plantations in Brasil, wind-farm in Colombia etc.

Cool!!

This reminds me of how much difference there is between garbage handling nowadays and few decades ago. Out in the Oslofjord, there is visible reminder of this. Before, there was two islands called Langøyene. Then, in 1904, the sea between the two islands were used as garbage dump, until 1949. Now there is only one island...It has become quite a popular recreational area, because afterall "time heals all wounds" as we say. But still, I've heard people say that the snow always melt there in the winter....

The two islands that has now become one
http://home.no.net/osloweb/foto/langoyafoto.jpg

"But still, I've heard people say that the snow always melt there in the winter...."
It should be like this - because for some 150 years the garbage will emit methane which will melt the snow in wintertime.

One more small news from Liepaja City - there are many things happening:
Finally beautiful house at waterfront named "Novatoru klubs" is under reconstruction. Saw it some days ago there... Unfortunately the reconstruction will add some stupid tube-ike structure. Pictures from architect's site - "G. Viksnas birojs".
http://www.gvbirojs.lv/19_07_2004/melna_bumba_2.jpg
http://www.gvbirojs.lv/11_01_2004/k_zales_3/aks_2.jpg
This will be done inside when the building would be ready ;)
http://www.gvbirojs.lv/11_01_2004/k_zales_3/int_1.jpg

Wind park to be built near Ventspils, two more wind parks approved
I personally know of 40 wind turbines in Latvia currently, but should be more. Currently total yield of wind energy in Latvia - above 25 MW.
Currently Latvian Ministry of Economy is issuing permit for 6 wind turbines, total yield 12 MW. Developer - Rietumu elektrosistemas.
There have been already approved two more wind parks with yield 10,45 MW.

Unfortunately the reconstruction will add some stupid tube-ike structure.

You said it, Gatis! :okay:

How is it possible that architects/people think such a structure next to an old building, even a reconstructed one, should be in any way cheered or saluted?

Stupid indeed! :mad: :bash: :rant:

Funny, but true...

The management of Ventspils Harbour has announced that there will be built a new juice terminal, a new project which will be the first in Northern Europe. Similar terminals are meaned to be only in the Netherlands and Belgium. It will recieve refrigerator-ships with this drinkable liquid stuff where from all major juices are made, and send it further to Russia and Central Asia. The terminal will have also storage tanks where max 20000 tonns of the concentrated juice can be stored. Total investments of "Baltic Juice terminal " is mentioned to reach 12 million USD.

Cheers! :cheers:

http://img79.exs.cx/img79/6117/pic_juce_all.jpg

If that additional cylinder part means that the whole building will be renovated, I think it's ok. Actually, I've seen lot worse modern additions to old edifices.

Regarding the juice terminal - hope that finally they will build it. Ventspils is speaking about it some 6 years already...

Juice terminal? like whathe? they really transport Juice in tankers? kewl... juice pipelines, and terrorists blowing them up... then in CNN i hear, Juice prises again skyrocket to last months lvls, if the terrorist keep blowing them up and Brentjuice still increases prices, no one knows what might happen!
how big of a market is there for Juice anyway?

(referring to a post by Gatis further up and my reaction)

If that additional cylinder part means that the whole building will be renovated, I think it's ok. Actually, I've seen lot worse modern additions to old edifices.

But Ober, that's sheer BLACKMAIL!!!! :bash: :rant:

@ ch1le:


Yeah, you know, Russians stop pumping oil trough Ventspils, so what the heck, they had to find another way to make the harbour work :D So now we will store juice.... :banana:

...there have appeared first cars operating on pineapple juice near Ventspils :) Damn expensive fuel but it keeps the city busy. (j/k)

Looked in Ventspils Webpage.
Their waste management project has been completed in early September, total costs 6 mio EUR. Ventspils got top-notch landfill (in Varve municipality), in the city has been developed network for waste separation. Even if they did not build yet juice terminal, city has got modern infrastructure :)

Vidzeme olympic centre
One of the largest on-going construction in 20 000 inhabitant town - Valmiera. Valmiera has got several successful factories thus the town is comparatively prosperous and can afford interesting buildings. It has ambitious city management.
http://www.lec.lv/images/jobjekti/celt_01.jpg
World championship in floorball would be held here in 2005.
Here somewhat stupid collage:
http://www.lov.lv/jpg/lok/project/Eka-kolaza.jpg
To be completed in summer 2005.
It ill include ice hockey hall (2070 m2), universal hall (3 011 m2).

It seems Latvia is giving more attention to develope new sports halls and other universal-use facilities than our neighbours...
5-6 brand new ice hockey arenas everywhere around Latvia, Skonto olympic centre, construction of the new Arena for the Wolrd championsship ice-hockey 2006, Kiipsala centre, 3 golf courses...
I know, I know, I am into this comparing also, but what can I do.... They all are showing such nice things from their bottom, so I can't sit here and just read and look at those pictures while a lot of water is coming out of my mouth....Let's make them cry once again, Gatis ;-) :gunz:

Two projects in Daugavpils

Ditton centrs - huge trade center taking whole quartal. The perimeter is new trade center but the middle of the quartal still holds historical marketplace of Daugavpils. For most part built in 2003 - 2004.
http://www.arhis.dpunet.lv/proj22.jpg
http://www.kendi.lv/dittonnams_2003_1.jpg
Unfortunately did not find any more pictures.

Reconstruction of neo-barocco manor house (Jaunsvente) near Daugavpils. Unfortunately currently the works have stopped
http://www.arhis.dpunet.lv/proj17.jpg

No need to be embarassed @Latvian GG :)
OK, the last five years in Latvia really have been scarce with building activities. It was really sad to see how such projects as National Library or Northern Tunnell have been moved and stopped, moved and stopped again by the stupid politicians and lack of money... But I am not sad about the moratorium on building activities in Riga historical center - it prevented fuc..ing up the center with stupid buildings. Meanwhile the bad taste of quick rich people changed to somewhat better and Riga City got more control over its development.
The future now looks very bright. No need to be sad :) There are really fine projects on the row waiting to be started.

It seems Latvia is giving more attention to develope new sports halls and other universal-use facilities than our neighbours...
Yes I noticed that - especially with ice-hockey arenas :). But I'm not sure if Latvia is giving more attention to such projects than Lithuania, because Lithuania is going to host European basketball championship 2007 (we hope so :)) and there are many plans for the biggest cities ( Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda, Siauliai, Panevezys ) to build new arenas. Btw one universal arena ( "Siemens" arena in Vilnius ) is almost finished and it's going to be opened soon. And if we talk about other similar facilities then only for Vilnius there are many plans (big projects for: conference center, complex with halls for culture events, museum, football stadium).

Then only ice areas... but we got 12 of them :)
No, the existing, u/c and planned provincial olympic centres in Ventspils, Valmiera, Daugavpils, Sigulda, Jelgava, Cesis, Liepaja, Limbazi look very promising. Riga also has several large projects on-going (Ice arena and Police Olympic centre) and several - expected (very expensive rowing centre in Zakusala). But I have no information how does it compare to Lithuania.
Here Olympic centre in Ventspils - note the size comparing to five floor commieblocks (which ALL have been renovated too)
http://www.lov.lv/jpg/lok/OC_ventspils.jpg
and it is only part of it - there are other facilities around Ventspils.

Why do you guys so stuck with Olympic name, huh? :D

Olympic? Because the central organisation ir Latvian Olympic centre, they are the ones who organise all these things.

10 wind generators to be built in Salacgriva
6 MW yield would be provided by 10 wind generators in Salacgriva in 2006. Salacgriva is city in north of Latvia, near Estonia.
In 2006 in Latvia there would be some 60 wind turbines operating...
Until 2002 state supported creation of wind parks in Latvia but then appeared such mega-projects that endangered state budget. Currently there is no state support for these activities.

Good news for Jelgava, a city with big history as a car manufacturing center of the Soviet Union.
Jelgava municipality met represetatives from Moscow municipality, companny called Ferrus and "ZIL" truck company last week and agreed to establish a car manufacturing company and to locate it in Jelgava. The factory will produce new type vans for light cargo, which is been testing now for European Market. It is said that Moscow municipality will participate financing the project. The company called "ZIL-Ferrus" should be officially established until end this year. The total amount of investments is not mentioned but should be quite big because of the participation of Moscow city in this project.
This could bring Latvia back to the list of places where cars are being produced. Everybody in the former USSR still know RAF minibusses....

:) When I was there in September - there were three large factories built each next to other. Fourth - biofuel rafinery - would be built soon as well.

In May starts ferry service between Ventspils and Saaremaa
Finally... Estonian company "Saaremaa Laevakompanii" starts the ferry service between Ventspils and Saaremaa Island in May next year. Ferries will run 3 times per week initially, then - a litle later - 5 times. Initially there would be 400 passenger seats and place for 80 cars.
Ticket will cost some 15 EUR one way, travel time - 2,5 - 3,5 hours.

CNN in next year will adverstise Latvia
Advertisement clip would be 45 seconds long. Aim - to invite people to come to Latvia. Currently on-going tender about creating the clip - participating four companies:
- two international:
"Adell Saatchi&Saatchi"
"Metro Leo Burnett&Cuba Studio"
- and two local:
"Vilks Studija"
"Style Master's Studio"

Great thread!

I didn't know there is something going on outside greater Riga. That there is some development too. For me lately Latvia has been =Riga

i know this isn't about latvia, but it's just 5 - 10 km away from her. in lithuanian resort named shventoji there is a plan to rebuild harbour and the surroundings of it. it will be prety big yacht harbour, with no huge ships or docks, or smth like that, and it will cost about 200 mln. euros. this project named as a priority of government of lithuania for that region

Huh... I do not have time for this thread... Sorry. There are many projects on-going.

OK, something a little from the booming region around Liepaja. Do not have time to cover more areas, although others are active too.

75 mio EUR investment in entertainment in Liepaja
In the end of February "Baltic Sea Development" will complete detailed design of their project and in summer 2005 there is planned construction of the enormous entertainment complex, it should be ready until the end of 2006.
Here are planned 520 housing units for tourists, several more buildings including hotels as well as enormous tropical waterpark with area 25 000 m2. Would be built children playgrounds, beaity centres, shops, cafes, sports centre. This will add 3 950 bed sites for tourists in Liepaja, it will create some 3000 new working places. Unfortunately Liepaja is not ready to supply these working places. Since middle 2004 personnel managers are searching for people in Liepaja and surroundings, in January will start training program. Most likely there will be need to import some working force.
The only tramline in Liepaja city would be extended to reach the complex in the southern part of the city - detailed design of this extension has been approved by the City Council in December 2004.

Renderings from the Liepaja architect G.Viksna Website www.gvbirojs.lv:
http://www.gvbirojs.lv/2004_12/baltic_sea_park/01.jpg

http://www.gvbirojs.lv/2004_12/baltic_sea_park/03.jpg

http://www.gvbirojs.lv/2004_12/baltic_sea_park/ct01.jpg

Enormous wind park planned near Liepaja
Currently there are some more wind parks u/c in Latvia but this proposal beats them all. Next to the existing largest wind park in Baltics (33 wind generators with 19,8 MW yield) in Grobina municipality there is planned to build 30 wind generators with 2 MW yield each - total capacity 60 MW.
Investor - local "Servic Husmann Balt" and German "Wilhelm Albers". Durbe municipality (where 15 generators would be located) in principle agree to these plans. Investors now are waiting for energy production quotas from Ministry of Economy. Grobina municipality (where the other 15 would be located) is a bit more concerned about lack of coordinated government policy regarding wind energy, municipality is elaborating detailed development plan. Some of my relatives (this is my hometown) who own there land have agreed already.

Energy produced from waste in Liepaja
In 21st December the old waste landfill in Skede (northern part of Liepaja) started production of energy. The landfill has been covered with membrane, there have been made 15 boreholes and methane collection system. Unfortunately the yield is quite small - 0,45 MW, but still better than letting out this greenhouse gas in atmosphere.
Some months earlier near Grobina there has been completed new modern waste landfill with all the necessary ground and plastic isolation, wastewater collection. There have started to work also several small waste processing enterprises. In Liepaja region have been closed 26 old landfills, 25 of them have been recultivated: groundwaters investigated and the landfills covered with soil.
Total investments: 12 mio EUR.

500 mio investment under assessment
Latvian energy provider "Latvenergo" has ordered to two companies a preliminary assessment of new coal powerstation in Liepaja. One study has ended in December 2004, other would be ready in spring 2005. If both would be positive, "Latvenergo" will start detailed design of new 500 mio EUR worth coal power station near Liepaja. The project may last 6 - 7 years. Latvia needs more energy as there is planned to close part of Ignalina powerstation in Lithuania and there is planned massive development of industry in Latvia.

Greeting cards would be produced in Liepaja
British "International Greetings Plc" which is the best known international producer of greeting cards, has started construction of new factory in northern part of Liepaja. Initial production line will employ 200 people, use 9000 m2. Until 2007 it would be extended to 350 working places. The factory is built in the place of former commieblocks which have been removed earlier.

General remark
Latvia has only one city - Riga. But this does not meak that Latvia ends with Riga agglomeration. In fact people in quite many areas outside Riga agglomeration have better income than in Riga. Just take Liepaja:
Over 2004 in Liepaja have started to work 93 new smaller enterprises. Liepaja City budget is only 3 times smaller than the budget of Riga - in 2004 it was 110 mio EUR. This means that per one inhabitant of Liepaja there is 2,5 times more money than per one inhabitant in Riga. The construction boom currently is on-going in Liepaja harbour... but it will come to the city as well, I am sure.

Wait a little, will add some more projects

New quartal in centre of Liepaja
Local investor "Altrade" is proposing development of new quartal in centre of Liepaja, near the central channel. Have no information whether City has approved it. Again - pictures from G.Viksna Website - the buildings in bronze colour:
http://www.gvbirojs.lv/05_09_2004/k_zales/aks_1.jpg
Liepaja has been heavily bombed in WWII, and the centre now looks rather empty. The area one year ago, started construction of supermarket:
http://www.gvbirojs.lv/2004_02_06/rimi_buvl/buvlauk_1.jpg

Some more projects from Liepaja architects "U.Pilena birojs" homepage:

Detailed design of the development in the deppressive Liepaja Karosta district. Over the nxt 15 years there is planned to complete the destruction of commieblocks, to restore some 30 beautiful buildings and to build lots of new buildings. This should be the most modern part of Liepaja. Orange - new buildings. Blue ones - the existing ones, for most part - monuments of architecture.
http://img93.exs.cx/img93/6470/karaosta019sj.jpg

New office building for the centre of Liepaja, Rozu laukums:
http://img93.exs.cx/img93/2803/komcentrs011zr.jpg

And small one: new brewery for the best beer in Latvia - Uzava beer. U/c as far as I know. Would be located some 30 km south from Ventspils
http://img93.exs.cx/img93/8996/uzavabrewery1pv.jpg

I really hope that Rozu laukums in Liepaja will escape from this dreadful megastructure planned by U.Pilens. It looks like worst examples made in middle nineties in any outskirts of german cities. Such a jewel like Liepaja asks for more subtle, gentle, maybe sophisticated solution for central piazza than this one.

I kinda like it - although it probably will be the first significant modern structure to appear in Liepaja when built, but maybe it will be followed by others ;)

No, the first was Liepaja Ice hall, they have built also a pair of supermarkets in centre (both ugly...). I am not in favour of this building either - it would fit well among commieblocks but not in centre. There have been long and powerful scandals and protests around this building.

Oil refinery proposed near Daugavpils

A local investor "Euro Oil Refinery" has sent a proposal to Laucese municipality near Daugavpils of a oil refinery project. No total investments mentioned. If the project will be accepted, it would create 350 jobs, but most likely also some pollution. In april it should be clear wether it would be built or not.

"Metsaliitto Group" 's huge cellulosis factory near Jekabpils project seems to be stopped.

In the meanwhile, the huge project announced by "Metsaliitto Group" of a cellulosis factory "Baltic Pulp" near Jekabpils is most likely to be stopped. It would create thousands of jobs and a good bounce for latvian industry. Earlier, ministry of enviroment, after some investigations, prohibited to use there bleech technology. The investors did not want to use other technology for making pulp. It seems they are now planning a similar factory in Uruguay.

Coal terminal planned in Ventspils port
Looking at Estonian success - coal terminal... finally Latvian ports start acting more actively. Ventspils harbour together with Dutch "Inditec Finanse B.V." is going to build 5 mio per year capacity coal terminal. Dutch company owns a mine in Siberia - that's why they are in this project. Building time not mentioned.

Btw. on 3rd February there would be signed agreement about ferry line between Saaremaa (Mintu) and Ventspils. Ferry will start running in 17th May.
- - -
Different news from Jelgava
Jelgava seems to be part of Riga metro... but may be not? Some news from this town... construction fever has started there over the last months.

Construction of City passage started in 25th January 2005.
http://www.zz.lv/foto/foto19159.jpg
This will be high-end department store in the centre of Jelgava, costs - 13 mio EUR. For two years local investors "Sabiedriskais centrs" were demolishing several buildings there, moving the communication lines. Now there has been made hole for two underground floors. Area of department store - 22 000 m2. The building will have two underground floors and four above-ground floors. To be completed in the end of 2005 (???). Through this building there will start pedestrian street - after passing through this building there will start street with smaller shops.

Jelgava is planning also to reconstruct the park at river Lielupe - Uzvaras park. There would be built new estrade, car parking, new causeways and trails. The draft design has been presented by architects in January.
http://www.zz.lv/foto/foto19254.jpg
Nearby the park there has been started reconstruction of early 19th century palace - "Villa Medem" - it will include park in early 19th century style as well.

Jelgava Sports hall has been completed in 8th January 2005. Investment - 2 mio EUR, area 3 800 m2. Two basketball fields, light athletics hall with 60 m running tracks, two other halls
http://www.jelgava.lv/img.php?s=Img_4365.jpg&w=&h=

Construction of car factory "Zil&Ferrus" still has not been started in Jelgava :( Necessary initial investment - 8 - 10 mio EUR. The feasibility study and ten year development program has been elaborated. City has given the land necessary for the factory. Planned 300 working places.
http://www.zz.lv/foto/foto19303.jpg

Two factories u/c in Aviacijas Street in Jelgava, more planned
"AKG" factory of car engine cooling systems (German investment) is u/c now - 100 working places. Production will start around May 2005.
"Latvian automotive seating systems" (Belgian investment) will start working in end of 2005. 70 new working places. Will produce car seats as well as office seats.
Liquor factory "Veta" (local investment) has not been started yet - they promise to make the new factory over the next two years.
It is possible that two more factories might be started in Jelgava this year - cable isolation material factory (German investment) and perfume production facility (French investment).

Biofuel factory near Eleja to be constructed soon
In 6th January 2005 Eleja municipality (south from Jelgava) received official proposal from company "Eco Diesel" asking for approval of their plans to build here biofuel factory. Here would be produced also oil. The construction of factory will start in April - May 2005 and would be completed at the end of 2005. Factory will have also a group of enormous silos for storing the raw material. Production capacity - 100 000 t of biodiesel.
- - -
News from Daugavpils

City budget increases per 18%
In 2005 Daugavpils city budget is 36 mio EUR. Not terribly much but fast increase anyway. City has got quick increase of industry.

Park Hotel Latgola almost completed
http://www.latgaleslaiks.lv/photos/2004-11-26/hotel.jpg
Largest hotel in Daugavpils has been almost completed (does it have 12 floors?)... but the construction company has run into problems and operator "Pellston nami" is looking for new one.

Daugavpils bus station completed
After supplying the city with new "Solaris" buses now there has been built new bus station in 24th January. Investment - 2,5 mio EUR.
http://www.daugavpils.lv/lv/aktual/news/Janvaris2005/stacija1.JPG
http://www.latgaleslaiks.lv/photos/2005-01-25/autoo2.jpg
Here is located also trade center.

Daugavpils has announced also tender for design of new road inside city between Kimiki and Jauna Forstate districts. Here is planned two-level crossing, two tunnels and 2 km of new streets. Part of the road has been built already.

Metal working factory "Ditton" is going to build new power station in Daugavpils, investment - 20 mio EUR.