Case Studies   Vilnius Old Town: Užupis – Paupys Area Case study

1.5. Housing: ownership, size, standards and age

Average flat in Užupis/Paupys could be described as 52 sq. m, more than 2 room, 78 % of flats are heated by own equipment (gas, electricity, chimney), 38% have no hot water, 6% have no cold water in-house. 60% of housing have no bathroom and app. 5% have outdoor toilets.

Sereikiskiu park well-field is a source of drinking water for the Old Town as well as the Užupis-Paupys area. In 1999, water improvement filters were installed to the reservoir to remove iron and manganese. Due to this measure, the water supplied to the area meets the EU drinking water requirements since March 2000, although water distribution pipelines still remain extremely rune down.

In 1997- 2000, telemechanisation of all blind-end gas regulation stations and certain ring-type gas regulation stations in the area were effected. The installed telemechanical system ensures stability of the gas supply.

Average height of buildings are two-three-storey and the age is nearly 70 years. Although the main part of the housing stock in the study areas consists of low-rise buildings with apartments, there are considerable variations in the type of houses and quality of dwellings. The age of the residential buildings in Užupis and Paupys vary from 50 to 130 years. An estimation of standard of pipes within the buildings is that about 70% need to be renovated. About 87% of the apartments are privately owned, either as private individual apartments or as private block of flats. More than half of the area residents stated living in the ground floor.

The lower lying areas of Užupis that are located closer to the centre of the Old Town include buildings in blocks with the main part facing the street and with apartments surrounding a courtyard. In some cases the ground floor towards the streets have been transformed, and this process is intensively revealing, to commercial use. In this area the properties that has been renovated are often of good quality. However, a significant number of the improvements are more cosmetic with focus on the exteriors towards the street. Most of the courtyards buildings are neglected. The properties that had not been subject to renovation remains of poor quality and require generous upgrading.

View of Užupis street in early 2002

The sections of Užupis that are located on the higher elevation of the ridge consists of a mixture of low-rise buildings and detached houses. Some of these dwellings have been rehabilitated in quite exclusive manners but the portion of poor quality housing is relatively high. Considerable hope is put to the initiative of private investors to get involved in the rehabilitation process. It is an accepted principle that investors purchase property and carry out the renovation utilising their own means of financing. While the municipality takes the responsibility for infrastructure, streets and open spaces as well as historic buildings, direct involvement in the renovation of these properties is a very limited one due to lack of municipal funds.

Paupys is mainly an industrial area, but eastern and southern portions include smaller sections with mixed types of residential dwellings. The buildings include blocks of flats of fairly recent origin. More than a hundred year old detached dwellings constructed in solid timber for individual families and more general town-house development. The residential component is not sufficient for sufficient demand for services and particular regarding social services. Daily consumer goods demand is probably higher due to the presence of workers in the industrial establishments.

The housing standard and the quality of construction in Užupis and Paupys vary a lot, but there is no yet concerted effort rehabilitate houses. It is also obvious that the infrastructure services are in poor conditions and some network services are lacking. The proximity to the industrial establishments, some of which are likely to be polluting the environment, reduces the attractiveness of the area.

Most of the industries in the area are of manufacturing producing character. The industry although is functioning in limited capacities is concentrated in the Paupys. There some factories in Užupis as well.

The quality of industrial buildings varies a lot. The largest industrial complex is situated in Paupys, “Skaiteks” industrial site. The oldest buildings are from the beginning of 1900 the most recent buildings are 20 to 30 years old. The most rundown buildings need to be demolished, but most of the buildings could be restored and be reused for other purposes.

1.4. Employment figures    1.6. Key figures on traffic