The University of Cyprus has announced a tender for the reconstruction of the car park next to the Stelios Ioannou Library at the Athalassa campus in Nicosia. The project is estimated at €785,000 excluding VAT, and contractors can submit bids until November 3, 2026.
Project details
The project is not simply about creating new parking spaces. The existing car park next to the Learning Resource Centre — Stelios Ioannou Library will be completely redeveloped. The project includes:
- parking for 110 cars;
- demolition of existing structures;
- levelling of the site;
- a new perimeter road;
- ramps;
- reconstruction of the controlled entrance;
- widening of the service road;
- an underground stormwater drainage collector;
- landscaping and a new irrigation system;
- street lighting and road signs;
- canopies over part of the parking area.
In addition, the project includes 5 bases for future electric vehicle charging stations. The necessary electrical connections and infrastructure will be installed in advance.
Implementation timeline
The deadline for submitting bids is November 3, 2026. After that, the university will select a contractor and sign the contract. The exact construction start date has not yet been announced. Under the tender terms, all works must be completed within 6 months from the start of construction.
The new permanent car park will be available to students and staff of the University of Cyprus. Vassos Olympiou, Head of the university’s Technical Services, noted that the facility is included in the campus master plan and is not related to the temporary parking areas created in recent years.
Why the university still lacks parking spaces
Even after the addition of 110 new spaces, the parking problem on campus will not be fully resolved. According to Olympiou, the university will need permanent multi-storey car parks in the future. At the same time, he believes the issue should not be addressed solely by increasing parking capacity. Possible alternatives he mentioned include:
- developing cycle lanes;
- creating convenient pedestrian routes;
- improving public transport between the campus and central Nicosia.
Olympiou also recalled a proposal by a former rector to connect the university with the city centre by tram.
In recent years, the University of Cyprus has created 3 temporary car parks with a total of 890 spaces. They were built on vacant plots as a quick solution to the shortage of parking. However, these facilities are not permanent. In the future, the sites are expected to be used for other purposes and the construction of new university facilities.