A 19-story tower and four underground floors are expected to be built on Bajram Curri Boulevard, near the 9-year "1 Maji" school in Tirana.
The Development Permit was approved by the government on September 25, 2024 on behalf of "Union Bank" and companies affiliated with some of its Board of Directors members: "Auto-City" and "Arch Investor" - owned by Edmond Leka, Niko Leka, Varuzhan Piranjani, etc.
According to official documents made public by the Territorial Development Agency (TDA), the building will serve as the bank's headquarters for offices and administration. Meanwhile, the upper levels are also intended to house services such as a bar and a terrace for events.
According to the plans accompanied by the explanatory report, the building will be expanded with the surrounding space, interfering with the courtyard of the "1 Maji" school, and the street structure.
Union Bank Tower Project by Ali Demi/From Development Permit.
The "1 Maj" school told Citizens.al that they were unaware of the project and had never been contacted about the development idea. They said they only learned about it after the information was published on social media.
The technical report for the construction states that "the school building has a poor facade, with weak and inefficient materials."
For this project, the facade is proposed to be re-conceived by adding "modular elements" such as concrete blocks that will serve as vases for "facade greenery" in order to guarantee "a play with random and non-boring volumes."
In short, the investor is interested in intervening at the "1 Maji" school to make his building look more aesthetically pleasing.
The "1 Maji" School was last reconstructed in 2016 with an investment of around 400 million lek from the Municipality of Tirana. But the proposal made by the private investor for a tower next to this school is requiring another public investment.
The design group was SOA Architecture – of architects Eurind Caka and Stefano Bastia, known for the concept of the reconstruction of the “Sami Frashëri” school – and MVM Architecture, Construction & Development – of Alket Meslani, an architect and entrepreneur known mainly for his work at Dea Studio.
This group of architects also proposed a “reorganization” of the space in front of the school. The report states that the “entrance and connection to the school will be reorganized.” From what can be understood from the images in the document, at this point it is proposed to remove a traffic island that is currently on the road from “Bajram Curri” Boulevard with the entrance and exit direction from “Rruga Ali Demi” and the bust of Ali Demi.
Proposal for intervention in the facade and courtyard of the “1 Maji” school/Development Permit Report.
Instead of the bust and installation named "Ali Demi", a direct exit to the street and the expansion of the area in front of the "1 Maji" school with a space proposed as a flower garden and recreation area for the community are proposed.
It is not clear whether this proposal has been addressed or taken into consideration. However, the Municipality of Tirana confirmed through an official response to Citizens.al that there has been no public consultation on this construction project.
"The Public Consultation and Citizen Opinions Sector […] has not received any request for public consultation for the 19-story building near the '1 Maji' school," the response states.
The Detailed Local Plan (PDV) of the area (TR/88), approved on June 3, 2024 – 3 months before the government granted the development permit to Union Bank – does not foresee any such intervention in the concept of development with roads or institutional or educational units as foreseen for Zone 5 (which coincides with the 1 Maji school).
On the contrary, the same circulation idea is maintained in PDV between Ali Demi Street and Bajram Curri Boulevard.
Citizens.al has frequently reported on the fact that the government – through the National Council for Territory and Water – has the power to superimpose other development plans on local plans.
This approach that alienates PDVs with a stroke of the pen has brought about chaotic and unsustainable urban development in Tirana.
The traffic island and the "Ali Demi" installation, which is proposed to be changed/Google Street.
The construction of a 16-story tower near the "Emin Duraku" school is another similar case of development.
Residents and parents of students protested, demanding the cessation of works, legal verification of the project, and a criminal investigation into the responsible institutions, as the building is planned to be built between three existing buildings.
Despite the reactions, construction continued and the facility is being erected./ Citizens
