The FINANCIAL — Adjara like the whole of Georgia is a region famous for its diverse history. Scientists trace back the first information on Adjara as a geographical unit in the Stone Age. Monuments of this period have been found near the resort Shuamta, a high mountainous district of Adjara.
The pool and embankment of the river Chorokhi are some of the oldest places of copper metallurgy. Due to all these values Adjara was well-known in the antique world. It was one of the major points of high culture and trade relations in the period.
Adjara had extremely developed architecture, literature, copying of books, and leather and wood processing in the Middle Ages. However, the fast development rates of architecture and construction can be traced back to an earlier period, which is proved by numerous monuments of this period. The Gonio Afsaro Fortress, located in Gonio, a place near Batumi, was built in the first century B.C. Called the grand Citadel of Kolkhs, the castle is the most precious example in the history of Adjara and the subject of Archeologists’ excavations.
The end of XIX century was the start of a new era in the history of Adjara. The region followed the way of economic and social progress. After establishing Soviet rule in Georgia in 1921, Adjara was declared an autonomic republic, that status has been maintained till today.
During the previous century, under Soviet management, Adjara was developing within certain frames, however after the Rose Revolution in May 2004, the Adjaran population made a choice, i.e. the road to development and progress. This has been proved by various parameters, namely, the number of tourists has seriously increased, several international brands have appeared in Batumi and other districts, Batumi airport has been renovated up to the latest standards. Moreover, the marine port, infrastructure of communications and tourist attractions, and medical resorts has raised international interest towards Adjara. Today, Adjara is mentioned in all European tourist guides.
The most attention is obviously paid to Batumi. Currently, it is impossible to imagine the Black Sea coastline of Georgia as well as the whole of the Caucasus without Batumi, which is like a peninsula in the illuminating sea radiating light and culture with its old-European but at the same time modern architecture to the magnificent panorama.
But this is just the beginning as Adjara is in the stage of planning and construction. There are numerous projects to be completed there, which will ultimately change the concept of Batumi and Adjara in general. There is a developer boom happening there now.
Development Solutions projects are the most distinguished among others. Hotel Medea is the best example of this, actually, Radisson SAS Medea Hotel. From 2010, the operator of the hotel Medea will be one of the largest and most famous brands in the world – Rezidor under the Radison brand. The contract with Radison was made in April, 2008. Construction of the hotel will presumably start in autumn this year. According to the agreed interior design, Medea is a synthesis of resort and business type hotels. DS hopes to attract guests with this very combination in the summer season as well as in other periods of the year.
The project considers construction of business type hotels and apartments. The building consists of 177 guest rooms, a fitness centre, conference hall, 50 luxury apartments and amusement centres. It is also worth mentioning that owners of these apartments will get the whole package of services along with their residential area. Due to the advanced location and hotel design, it will become a real landmark of Batumi. The author of the hotel design is a famous Italian designer Michele De lucci, whose projects include the facades of Milan, Venice, Rome, Paris and other European and world cities.
Development Solutions LLC (DS) is a developer company established by Georgian and international investors in 2006. Regardless of its short history, the company has managed to become the real estate market leader in Georgia. The company has been working on a number of large-scale projects in Tbilisi and the coastline of Adjara since 2007. In line with this work, DS is also working on the formation of a strategy for dozens of other projects. According to the management, the company mission is to develop the company as the leading real estate company of the highest standards in Georgia and the most reliable partner for all. The company plans to achieve this ambitious goal with the help of a multi-national team, success of its partners and consumers. Projects Radisson SAS Iveria, Rose Revolution Square, Sakanela Residential Development – these are the projects linked to Development Solutions in Tbilisi and dozens of other projects in Adjara.
A famous architectural group is working on the Hotel Meskheti project which is another DS project on the Batumi coastline planned to be finished by 2010. Development of the three star hotel in the centre of Batumi will first of all serve middle income tourists. Hotel apartments with a seascape, restaurants, spa centres, conference halls and other elements of infrastructure will make Meskheti a leading resort hotel in Batumi which will overall support the development of the tourist market in the region.
Apart from the hotel, the complex is considering the development of residential apartments for middle and high income people. The concept was elaborated on the basis of the growing demand for the so-called second house which recently occurred on the real estate market.
Planning of the architectural concept for the hotel Meskheti belongs to the Global Estudio, a thirty-year old company cooperating with over 200 partners in its homeland as well as in the Middle East, France, Germany, Ukraine, Korea, Arabia, Russia, China, Croatia, Brazil and Italy. Currently, the company is working with Georgian architects on the detailed architectural design of the project.
Along with the above-mentioned projects, which are in the process of construction and detailed planning, DS is working on a few other ideas, which, if realized, will have a huge effect on the development of the Adjara coastline. The company is especially proud of the “Batumi Riviera”. It is a focal part of Batumi City Centre with the typical flavour of a port city, where a multi-functional complex will be built. The complex which will include modern business centres overlooks Batumi port and boulevard, the long esplanade running along the sea where all major tourist attractions are concentrated. The development concept is considering construction of a new multi-functional commercial, residential and amusement complex, with cafes and restaurants.
Green Cape is located in the Northern part of Batumi. The name Green Cape was given to the place by Russian holiday-makers due to its subtropical greenery. The climate is damp and subtropical. Compared to Batumi, the summer is cooler here which is supported by the mountainous environment and changeable wind. Russian botanic Krasnov gave foundation to the Batumi Botanic Garden in the 1880s on this territory. The Botanical Garden opened on November 3, 1912 and was regarded one of the largest botanical gardens in the former Soviet Union. There are more than 2,000 species of plant in the garden today. In the Soviet period, there were lots of holiday homes and sanatoriums on this territory. Buildings located in the mountains were connected to the coastline via a special rope-way.
Today, DS is working on the concept of an 8-hectare territory which can be used for constructing holiday homes as well as ecologically clean villas targeted at high income holiday-makers. This complex would include: a spa, swimming pool with sea water, quiet environment, i.e. everything to make guests feel the utmost comfort in one place. This will ensure a high percentage of commercial interest as demand on such a combination would be high during any period of the year.
Another idea, which is still in the process of elaboration, is Kobuleti Sanatorium, where a multi-functional complex, villas, hotel and trade and commercial (restaurants, shops) outlets will be located. The territory of the complex is situated on the coastline of Kobuleti, between the central street of the complex and the seaside boulevard. In order to maintain current greenery, the territory of the project will have a limited area for construction development. A comparatively narrower line is considered for the new construction. Maximum planning will be made to space the whole complex in the narrow area in both a comfortable and flexible manner
The concept of city planning is based on the principle of the clear zoning of the territory which defines the organizational scheme of interrelated elements in the multi-functional complex. The project territory is divided into two major functional zones: public and residential zones. Taking the general city planning into account, special attention is paid to the connection of the street and seaside which provides walking paths in the trade commercial zone. Buildings of the complex will be located very close to the seaside boulevard and a common parking lot will be arranged on the basis of the greenery existing between the major street of the resort and buildings. Park space with ever-green bushes and walking paths and groups of trees will create an evergreen background for the complex.
In terms of architectural style, concept and content, it can be said that each product of the company is ultra modern in its essence and has the ambition to be a product of not only the current period but of the distant future too. Herewith, the company considers traditional elements as well as the demands of already acquired experience. As they say in the company, projects are designed for local as well as foreign businessmen, tourists and simply, for all who want to live, work and relax in accordance with modern standards plus exquisite taste.
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