AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.04.2002, Side 33

make this possible, some buildings have to be pulled
down to make room for new development. There are
many classically-built buildings in the city centre that
should be preserved, but at the same time it should be
possible to alter and improve upon them to meet mod-
ern demands. In some cases, it may be necessary to
move buildings to new sites, so that in a better context
comprehensive development of the area can be
achieved. It is important to realise that conservation
and redevelopment have to go hand-in-hand.
To encourage development of the city centre, the
Executive Comittee of the City Council recently decid-
ed that during the next five years, a considerable dis-
count will be given to various charges developers have
to pay in this area. A 20% discount will be taken off the
road tax, parking charges in the city centre will only be
20% of what is charged elsewhere, and the require-
ment for parking spaces for commercial properties will
be one space/50m2, instead of 1/35m2 required else-
where.
Multi-storey car parks and basements are being
planned in throughout the city centre. Most advanced
are the ideas for a parking basement under the lake
Tjörnin and a parking basement between Laugavegur
and Hverfisgata at Barónsstígur. There is also a park-
ing basement planned beneath the proposed concert
and conference centre by the old harbour. Parking
areas for new development in Skuggahverfi will mostly
be placed under the buildings.
When the local plan for the city centre is completed
during the next weeks and months, the property own-
ers, developers and investors in cooperation with city
authorities, will be able to go ahead with the important
task of building and developing the City Centre District
to meet future demands. ■ Kristín Einarsdóttir, City
Centre District Manager.