Andreas Kondylis: Upgrading the quality of life through projects and new services
The mayor of Alimos talks about how the municipality has managed to be a pioneer in entering the digital age.
- 11/07/2025, 12:12
Located in the Southern suburbs of Athens, it stands out for its beautiful coastal zone, its historical importance as the homeland of Thucydides, and its modern infrastructure. In fact, the Municipality of Alimos has been investing in upgrading the quality of life in recent years, with extensive projects and digital services that are being offered entirely online since 2020.
The Mayor of Alimos, Andreas Kondylis, speaks to White Paper about the major projects that are currently underway, those that are planned, and the legacy that he hopes to leave for future generations.
What are your future plans in terms of urban development and how do you intend to preserve the city’s cultural heritage at the same time?
Important development plans are already underway, throughout our coastal front, with the main ones being the regeneration of the Alimos Marina and the investment in the Metropolitan Pole of Hellinikon-Agios Kosmas. Many may not know it, but Agios Kosmas belongs to the Municipality of Alimos.
In all investment plans, our Municipality always submits its own complete and realistic proposals that complement the investments. Indicatively, for the Marina we proposed and secured: the creation and operation of a brand new Municipal Art Gallery-cultural center, in order to attract visitors to the markets and antiquities of our city, the continuation of the presence of our Swimming Pool within the Marina with its simultaneous upgrade, etc.
As part of these investments, the state decided in 2016 to grant the Municipality a large section of the coastal front, so that we can proceed with its gentle and comprehensive development with respect for the natural environment. All this is set to take place in a sustainable way for the local community, that is, with some income for the Municipality and, above all, with a design that aims at the quality of life of our residents. Unfortunately, almost ten years later, the state’s commitment has not been fulfilled, mainly due to The Hellenic Public Properties Company (HPPC), the state-owned public property management company, which hinders our efforts for what I mentioned above.
Given the importance of sustainability, what measures is the Municipality taking to protect the coastal environment and promote green spaces?
The protection of the natural environment is a constant priority every day. As an example, let me remind you of our great fight against the “bonus
es” of the New Building Regulation and high-rise buildings – a fight that continues.
We are moving forward with “green” regeneration projects, such as on Koumoundourou Street, with bike lanes, new green spaces, bioclimatic materials, promoting car-free travel and reducing temperature in the city.
Through the “Green Everywhere” program, we are removing asphalt and cement, creating flower beds, green islands and copses.
We carry out regular voluntary beach and seabed cleanups, in collaboration with diving athletes, scubadiving clubs, schools, voluntary organizations, and the Smile of the Child organisation, while offering a valuable experiential lesson for children.
What kind of additional improvements can residents expect in public services?
Already, residents have seen substantial improvements in services during our term. I would dare to say that, compared to the past, huge leaps have been made forward, towards “flawless” and “exemplary”.
Garbage collection and the cleanliness of the city are at a high level, while we have introduced new recycling streams, such as the brown bin for bio-waste and the purple one for clothes. We created Municipal Transportation with new buses that we purchased and organized into 2 local lines, while we are demanding the improve ment of the OASA lines.
Since 2020, we have been the first Municipality to provide all of its services digitally: from certificates to complex financial or technical procedures, citizens are served via mobile phone or computer, without having to come to the City Hall.
We are pioneers in social programs, as we are among the first Municipalities nationwide to have created, among others, a Social Laundry, a SocialTutoring Center, a Social Grocery Store and a Citizens’ Health Service Center.
Citizens can expect similar innovations in the near future. The foundations have already been laid, with projects such as the new Indoor Stadium.
What types of projects are currently underway?
Important infrastructure projects are currently being implemented, such as: the new Indoor Stadium (5.1 million euros), the upgrading of road safety with the reconstruction of roads and side walks (3 million euros), the reconstruction of the Agiou Dimitriou pedestrian area (600 thousand euros), the green cultural route (1.2 million euros), the flood protection project on Kanari Street (~1 million euros), the energy upgrade of schools (2.25 million euros), the construction of a bike lane from the Ano Kalamaki METRO to the beach (2.8 million euros) and the new Alimos Town Hall (over 8 million euros). At the same time, smaller projects continue, such as renovations of playgrounds, reconstructions financed by the Green Fund and projects of the Attica Region (asphalt paving, etc.).
Published in “White Paper: The Big Business of the South”, NouPou Media’s special edition spotlighting the current landscape and future prospects of the Athens Riviera.