Can students bring Nicosia’s old town back to life?

Attempts to revitalise and rebrand Nicosia’s historic old city have been going on for decades, but will its latest iteration – student accommodation – finally succeed?

Lately, more and more signs indicating the renovation of existing buildings into student dormitories have appeared on streets, indicating yet another shift in the social dynamics of the heart of Nicosia’s historical centre.

So who are the new Nicosians? And what does the influx of students do to the heart of the city?

Few people are as familiar with the capital’s current developments as Nicosia mayor Charalambos Prountzos, who has been involved in the planning of many of the city’s new projects, having witnessed their evolution firsthand.

“The municipality is developing two projects, one is already delivered and operating and we have another one coming up by June,” he says, speaking at his office with a view of the old town.

Prountzos says that in addition to the municipality’s student housing, the private sector is independently developing several projects.

“We are expecting approximately 250 beds to go onto the market,” he says.

The municipal student housing that is already finished, located near Ledra street, currently exclusively houses students of the new Cypriot branch of the Greek National Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), whose classrooms are located right next to the municipal hall.

“For now, there is only the medical school and it’s only around 50 students,” Prountzos says.

The opening and planned expansion of the NKUA branch has significantly influenced the progress of the student housing projects, as has repurposing of the former Phaneromeni school, which had been discussed for years.

The building, owned by the church, had originally been designated to house the architecture department of the University of Cyprus (UCy).

After lengthy discussions and criticism regarding the proposed expansion and renovation plans, it was instead handed over to the university’s department of antiquities, with several modifications made to the original project.

The plans of moving a UCy branch into the city centre also contributed the recent student housing boom.

“The programme for the private residences was triggered by the town planning department and it had a budget of €25 million, the programme was earmarked for the move of the school of architecture to Phaneromeni but as the programme was delayed unfortunately there was a bit of scepticism from private investors,” he says.

Prountzos explains that, in addition there was a cap on the rent which could be charged to students, which he recalls as being €300 a month. This contributed to the budget not being fully absorbed.

“I am kind of the property manager here,” Charis says as he takes a bite of his falafel in front of the Solonos student house that he manages.

The house, a former hotel, is located in one of the alleys in the centre of the old town, a two-minute walk from Eleftheria square and a five-minute walk from the Phaneromeni church in an area featuring plenty of bars, a supermarket and close proximity to the Ledra street crossing to the north.

“I don’t think we’re going to get too many Cypriots though,” Charis laughs.

He says this is down to the lack of parking, the tradition of staying with parents and the fact that the house is located in an area that – as beautiful as it is – still carries an air of seediness. In his opinion that is unfair.

“Personally I love the walled city, it’s the only area in Nicosia that I feel has a character,” Charis says.

The house opened very recently in February, right on time for the arrival of Erasmus students, which he says currently make up for most of the residents, with only few permanent students from Greece.

Although he is reluctant to disclose the exact amount, the website indicates a price range: €400 for the starter pack including four mugs, four glasses, one bed sheet and one duvet. Monthly cleaning can be booked for an additional €30.

“This will be a café-bar,” he says, pointing to the first floor of the building that is still under construction but already gives Berlin vibes.

Next to the entrance, there is a huge empty space, formerly a restaurant which Charis says they might turn into a gym – because that’s what students want nowadays.

Solonos is colourful and renovated in a modern yet in a manner which fits with the old town. It’s extremely quiet on this midday, not a single student is around, only one person says hi in a familiar manner once we exit the building after our tour.

A few streets further down is the flagship municipal student housing for the NKUA with a much more old town vibe than Solonos. Blue doors and windows, the beautiful characteristic sandstone walls.

There’s no bell or entry sign, just a chip fob for the door, and a warm smile from the tall, big security guard who opens it.

Upon entering, the smell of fresh paint is still in the air.

“We all know each other here,” says 18-year-old Anna from Athens.

“It’s lively but at the same time we are medicine students which requires a lot of studying,” she says.

Each room has a different price depending on its size – Anna has a double room for which she pays a bit more. The rooms are fully furnished. 

“We don’t really have to travel large distances as Uni is really close and shops and clubs too,” she says.

Anna is happy with the accommodation – and with her overall choice of having come to the island. What she does criticise, though, is the buses, saying that she tried them but that if the group plans activities for longer routes, they usually take a taxi.

“The buses are chaotic, much cleaner than those in Athens but difficult to use,” she laughs.

Christos a fellow student, also 18, also rents a double room, around 19 m2, with a small bathroom and kitchen corner, for which he pays around €350 including bills.

“Whenever I went to the library it took a lot of time,” he says, having used the library of UCY previously. Now NKUA has their own study room and if Christos has to move around, he rents an electric scooter which he says are cheap and handy for his needs.

The house gives a similar, but calmer vibe than Solonos, white walls, modern but traditional, some framed quotes on the wall – and opposed to Solonos, there are still around 15 free rooms as of now – soon to be occupied by more incoming students.

Students are moving into the old town with the aim of breathing new life into formerly neglected parts of the city in an organic manner. But what about families? After all, families and partying students don’t mix well, do they?

“Families are always part of our strategy because the recovery of the centre as a whole, not just the historic centre, has the increase of population as an overriding objective,” mayor Prountzos says.

He says that the numerous vacant structures and stores can only become viable once the inhabitants make use of them on a regular basis.

“You go out of the concept of having the centre only as a weekend desination,” he says, pointing to a recently presented scheme from the interior ministry providing housing assistance for houses near the ceasefire line – a significant part of which is in the old town – which he says offers subsidies for couples or young families to move to the centre. 

With the described repurposing, the city’s dynamics will naturally change. But it also means that many migrants in the areas currently used as cheap housing will lose their homes.

Prountzos said that the municipality’s primary objective in addressing illegal housing is actually focused on the owners who permit it. He emphasised that, of course, people needed to be here legally and that this currently is the main objective.

Aside from housing, there are also plans to upgrade the old town, with €11 million allocated for the renovation of Ledras street and Onasagorou street.

“We have got an interesting suite of incentives available for residential and commercial purposes and we will bring those into the attention of people,” he says

“Realistically speaking if you have a large number of students coming into the old town this will definitely have a knock-on effect on the needs and uses in the old town,” Prountzos says.

He emphasises that, consequently, the municipality is going to implement a stringent strategy as they do not wish to exclude permanent residents in the centre.

Anastasia Theocharou, 64, is one such resident who views the potential deluge of students with a degree of trepidation. She lives very close to two buildings currently being fixed up as student accommodation.

“Firstly, there is perennial issue of parking. Not all students will have cars obviously, but with so many single accommodation units becoming available many will, and lack of parking is such an issue already,” she says.

“But the really big thing is students have no vested interest in the old city. They are not permanent residents, so they don’t really care about it.”

She is also concerned about the noise – an attribute in which students seem to have a monopoly – and the inevitable creep of new bars and cafes into what is now a peaceful street.

“Surely, there are enough already in the old city, but there always seems to be room for more,” she says.

Prountzos was quick to try and allay such fears.

“We do not intend – just because we want students to move in – to allow a jungle in the old town so that people can enjoy themselves,” he says. “We want this place to be attractive but for us it’s crucial to make sure that people feel that there is order.”

He says that it’s only natural that young people want to have fun, and that there will be bars and clubs, but that these need to strictly operate in a safe manner.

“A person that comes to live here, comes to embrace a way of life,” he says.