Development news in Latvia outside Greater Riga

[Gatis]

...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

[Gatis]

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.

World championship in floorball would be held here in 2005.
Here somewhat stupid collage:

To be completed in summer 2005.
It ill include ice hockey hall (2070 m2), universal hall (3 011 m2).

[LatvianGG]

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 ;-)

[Gatis]

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.


Unfortunately did not find any more pictures.

Reconstruction of neo-barocco manor house (Jaunsvente) near Daugavpils. Unfortunately currently the works have stopped

[Gatis]

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.

[Edd]

Originally Posted by LatvianGG

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).

[Gatis]

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)

and it is only part of it - there are other facilities around Ventspils.

[Mantas]

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

[Gatis]

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

[Gatis]

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.

[LatvianGG]

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....

[Gatis]

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.

[Gatis]

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.

[Gatis]

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"

[Janis_LV]

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

[pablonis]

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

[Gatis]

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

[Gatis]

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:






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

[Gatis]

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:

Liepaja has been heavily bombed in WWII, and the centre now looks rather empty. The area one year ago, started construction of supermarket:

[Gatis]

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.


New office building for the centre of Liepaja, Rozu laukums:


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