One A new cultural venue will grace the capital of our island, Chora, in a few months. The project «Maintenance, enhancement, restoration, and reuse of the ‘Vitzamanio School’ and adjacent municipal properties (Police Station) in Chora, Kythira», with a design budget 514.600€, has been included in the «ANTONIS TRITSIS» Program, and the relevant construction contract was signed by the Mayor of Kythira, Mr. Efstratios Charhalakis, and the contractor, N. & K. Goliopoulos S.A.
The contract amount after the discount has been applied is 455.282,33€ and the deadline for completion is 10 months. However, The project will begin as soon as the police station has been relocated to the former District Office building, which is currently undergoing repairs.. So, The benefit for the country will be twofold: On the one hand, the Kythira Police Station will be housed in a suitable building, fully renovated and equipped with all the necessary rooms and equipment (the former District Office); on the other hand, An entire city block (the Vitzamanios School and the current police station) will be transformed into a modern cultural and arts center, befitting the area’s history.
Specifically, the following work is planned: general renovation of facades and masonry, new window and door frames, complete electrical and mechanical systems, renovation of restroom and storage areas, lighting, new flooring, fire safety measures, an air conditioning system, redevelopment of the «Kosmas Koronaios» outdoor plaza (modeled after the Belvedere redevelopment), new interior and exterior paintwork, furnishings, etc.
Once the work is completed, the Dimitrios Lourantos Folklore Collection will be housed in a manner more appropriate from a museological perspective, with the aim of better showcasing local folklore history; at the same time, the spaces currently occupied by the police station will be utilized for permanent and temporary exhibitions.
It is worth noting that the complete studies (Structural, Architectural, E/M, Bidding Documents, permits, etc.) for this specific project, through which it was included in the TRITSIS program, were carried out under a Program Agreement with the Network of Cooperating Municipalities of the Attica Islands Regional Unit, with minimum cost (€20,000 + VAT) and to the as short a time as possible (less than 8 months).
