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

3.7. Key regeneration partners

Area community leadership is concentrated in UF and AC. But due to lack of administrative and financial capacities UF and AC have a very limited participation at VOTRP. OTRA facilitates co-ordinates, monitors and plans cooperation with Užupis-Paupys community. Local initiative is always taken and discussed seriously in OTRA seeking to stimulate neighbourhood/ social dialogues.

OTRA plays a role of mediator within the Užupis-Paupys community: residents, HOA, UF, AC and municipality. Vilnius Old Town Renewal Program (VOTRP) is the annual program being prepared by OTRA in close cooperation with various departments of Vilnius municipality, local communities, businessman, property owners and investors. OTRA strategic plan is to gradually increase financial support for the residents’ initiatives widening a public-private co-operation. Private sector (residents) would like to get financial support under more simplified conditions to fulfil more private oriented needs. Municipality each year stands against allotting money for the capacity rising of the private sector trying to avoid co-financing projects. Public-private financial co-operation requires more transparency and more high quality management work from the municipal institutions. Conflict resolution seeking to fulfil interests both parties/ sectors currently remains a very challenging work for OTRA.

The fundamental conflict exists since the OTRA was found in 1998. Goals of OTRA are mainly directed towards bridging connections between public/municipal and private sectors, improvement of the climate for investments, awareness rising and involvement of the communities and private owners. Implementation of VOTRP requires full transparency of OTRA activities as well as another municipal institutions involved. Flow of finances and their use should be visible, rational and mutually beneficial for both participating sectors. Both sides have invented various methods to illegally earn or wash money through organising open competitions for implementation of public projects, making various financing transactions through “correct” mediators or, finally, finding various ways to avoid paying taxes. Co-financing and direct partnership is aimed diminish opportunities of illegal actions and, therefore, it's always extremely challenging work to find a way fulfil interests of parties. OTRA sees the CCB program as one of the most prospective and sensible tools, which could gradually resolve this fundamental conflict.

Series of consultancy and meetings are provided by OTRA through its Information Centre to the residents, homeowners and potential local and external investors. Special awareness rising lessons and guided tours is being organised to youngster groups and children. These attempts are focussed to engage people with the VOTRP intentions and inspire wider understanding of the integrated area development through indirect consolidation and coordination between public and private sectors.

It is planned to organise two seminars in a year 2003 “Traditional Technologies of Maintenance and Renovation of Timber Dwellings” and “Investments Profits Conserving and Renewing Historic Buildings”. OTRA made agreements with few International companies (producers of the traditional built materials) concerning their technical and financial support organising these seminars. The seminars are targeted to the Old Town construction companies as well as residents and homeowners who intend to actively take part in the CCB program.

Since CCB program as a part of VOTRP was started in 2000, public interest and participation is gradually growing: there were 14 applications to take part in CCB received for the year 2000, 36 for the year 2001, 43 for 2002 and 37 for 2003. Promotion of positive results of this co-operation helps rising community’s trust to OTRA activities.

3.6. Connections to the city strategy    4. FUTURE VISION OF THE AREA