Nicosia 360: a different way of life or an eyesore?

By Gina Agapiou

The tallest building in the capital has become a reference point, but Nicosia residents are still questioning its purpose.

It’s been over two years since the first residents moved in to the 360 Nicosia, a skyscraper in the busy city centre by Cyfield Group that has set to govern a new generation of living in the island’s capital with the luxurious services it provides.

“360 Nicosia does not just offer luxury apartments but a different way of life which elevates your routine,” Cyfield CEO George Chrysochos told the Sunday Mail from London.

Due to its special design, every resident has a similar view overlooking the entire city and Pendadactylos. All the apartments are serviced and follow the philosophy of a seven-star hotel says the CEO. Apart from cleaning and laundry services, there is 24 hours concierge to assist in any damage or repairs such as to change a lightbulb (yes, really). On top of that, residents have access to a heated swimming pool, a gym and a sauna included in the common expenses.

Those simple things make life easier, and people appreciate them,” Chrysochos said.

Now, with the long-awaited restaurant that will extend on the 33th and 34th floors still under construction, only a quarter of the initial 120 apartments remain on sale.

However, some Nicosians disapprove of this “sad attempt” to modernise the old city.

Standing at almost 135metres tall, this new apartment building is over double the height of the now second tallest building, Tower 25, rising at 67 metres next to Eleftheria square.

What is the point of sticking this enormous building in the centre of Nicosia, and what is the demand? Definitely not for the average Cypriot, this is obviously for foreigners or people who work abroad,” said Eleni Matheou, aged 34.

She added that it is ‘odd’ seeing this extremely tall building “sticking out like a sore thumb” when one looks at the entire city from afar. “It’s just a very sad attempt to bring the city into the 21st century.”

Natasa Kyriakidou is also not a fan of the building. She lives in Nicosia’s old town and can see the towering monolith from virtually everywhere she goes.

“It overpowers the old city, dominates it,” she said. Kyriakidou fears such a tall building will just be the first of many and the old city will eventually be surrounded by high rises.

“But the thing is it doesn’t look lived in. At night I have counted how many floors are lit up from the side of the building that faces where I live. Sometime three floors, sometimes five. The most I’ve seen is seven floors. And that’s only small sections of those floors.”

Cyfield though insists most of the apartments have been sold, and the reason why the building might still appear lifeless is that some residents travel abroad often while a handful of apartments are available for short-term stay and might not always be occupied.

There are five or six apartments that are listed for short-term stay on websites like Booking or Airbnb,” Chrysochos said. Those are advertised for €307 per night.
As for the price to own an entire apartment at the skyscraper, this ranges from several hundred thousand euros to a couple of million.

Apartments vary in size, with the most expensive sold being the largest four-bedroom apartment for €2.5 million. The cheapest single bedroom sold for just €260,000, Chrysochos said, while the approximately 30 remaining apartments for sale are priced at €6,000 per square metre.

This is excluding the common expenses to cover the minimum maintenance that come in at an additional €110-150 monthly cost for those living in a one or two-bedroom and surpass €200 for the larger three and four-bedrooms.

Works at the building finished in the summer of 2020, while the two-storey restaurant is expected in the first half of next year.

Apart from a breath-taking view, an additional perk for the residents is of course the easy access to shopping. On the ground floor of the building, there are several department stores, with a coffee and a dessert bar coming up. This will include popular American ice cream brand Häagen-Dazs, the only location in the district.
And next to the 135-metre high building, there’s an admittedly much lower office space. The 360 Business Centre on Aphroditis street was completed about three months ago and has already welcomed its first tenants. The five-storey building has kitchens, toilets and covered verandas as well as reception and meeting rooms in all floors to offer professionals a specially designed space with modern comforts.