ELYSSAR Planning and Development Objectives




Creating the vision :
The south - western portion of Beirut city benefits from direct access to sandy beaches and includes unique attractions such as the new Sports City complex with a shopping center and the Golf Club. The expansion of Beirut towards the south has always been hindered by the existence of settlements which have grown in violation of public and private properties, and as a result of years of deprivation and neglect. Through careful planning and strong political and public support the area will be rearranged to relocate the residents of the settlements while improving their living conditions and provide them with housing facility. This part of Beirut will cater for unique social, cultural and recreational facilities within minutes from all parts of town and will provide the required support facilities that should exist between the airport and the downtown.

Building affordable units:
Residents of illegal settlements will have the opportunity to relocate into newly developed residential communities . These communities will enjoy ample public open spaces with direct access to the waterfront esplanade, the central business park and the airport free zone. The low income housing units should cater for various household sizes and encompass a medium population density which in turn is considered lower than many suburbs within Metropolitan Beirut.

Infrastructure upgrade:
The main future utility lines and road network serving the city of Beirut will pass through the ELYSSAR area. As part of the metropolitan program to upgrade infrastructure, ELYSSAR is mandated to design and finance infrastructure works to promote the sale and development of vacant properties. The roads within ELYSSAR constitute the most important network in the city namely the link between the downtown and the airport, the connection to the south of the country, the access to the beltway around the capital and the Pan Arab highway. The network is designed to accommodate the traffic beyond the year 2010.

Creating development opportunities:
All properties cleared by ELYSSAR are subject to a new development scheme. Thus the area offers unique opportunities to develop along the sandy beaches or around major public facilities such as the Sport City Complex, Beirut Govermental Hospital, the future Ministry of Health, the conglomeration of vocational schools. The recent opening of an international hotel in ELYSSAR proves the hinge role the area could play between the downtown, the airport and the rest of the city.