The airport city known as Aviapolis is continuing to develop
around Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and is already one of the
best known industrial districts in the capital area. In
recent years about one billion euros has been invested in
this joint project between the town of Vantaa, the Civil
Aviation Administration and a number of building and property
companies, creating in the process well over 10,000 new
jobs. Aviapolis is already home to between 35,000 and 40,000
jobs and that number is expected to rise briskly as new
buildings go up.
The heart of Aviapolis is Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, whose
direct and trouble free air links to the rest of the world,
especially Asia, are of interest to firms working in the
international market. A survey carried out by Taloustutkimus
in 2004 showed that the special strengths of the most desirable
business park in the capital area continued to be its excellent
travel connections, the quality of office space, the plentiful
variety of space and its exceptional location so close to
the airport. The abundant provision for parking was also
a welcome benefit.
Aviopolis is also highly important for the town of Vantaa,
which is continuing to focus on the development of the district.
The town is paying special attention to attracting new businesses
and jobs as well as to providing a high-tech infrastructure
along with housing and recreational amenities, expanded
commercial services and school and day care facilities.
The 42 square kilometre Aviapolis district in the centre
of Vantaa extends from the airport to Tammisto and includes
the residential areas of Ylästö, Pakkala and Kartanonkoski.
Set in natural surroundings, the area is expected to house
17,000 people by the end of the decade.
Five new office blocks are scheduled for completion in
the next few years, along with a leisure centre with spa
and cinema facilities slated for the Jumbo shopping centre.
But the growth of Aviapolis means more than the creation
of traditional head offices. It will become a complete entity
in which logistics and human well-being will be among its
most important attributes.
It is hoped that additional high-profile companies will
move into Aviapolis in future, prompting the area to develop
even further as an international and competitive concentration
of businesses and making it a great place to live and work.
