The businessman behind the redevelopment of the abandoned Limassol village of Trozena has gone public for the first time, clarifying that his plan calls for 60 rooms — not 60 houses as previously reported — and that he did not purchase the village church.
Uriel Curtis, who was born and raised in Hungary and has Israeli roots, appeared on the Alpha television programme Alpha Enimerosi alongside Arsos community leader Giannakis Giannaki, addressing questions that have arisen in recent days about the project.
Curtis said he first visited Trozena five years ago and was immediately taken with it. He said he set out to understand why the village had been abandoned and to establish its ownership status.
“My vision was very simple from the start — to create a space for everyone who needs time to rest and unwind,” he said.
He was clear that the development would comprise 60 rooms, not individual houses, and that the church had not been purchased. “The church is not for sale, and I hope it never will be,” he said.
Giannaki confirmed that the church belongs to the Paphos Metropolis and is not for sale. He said improvements carried out at the church were done on the investor’s initiative and at his expense.
The community leader said Curtis had purchased 17 of the village’s approximately 30 properties from Greek Cypriot owners, along with surrounding agricultural land where vines have been planted for a winery. “Before all this, the village was a jungle,” he said.
On the historic metal bridge, Giannaki said it would be preserved as a museum exhibit, with a new bridge to be built for public use.
Permits for construction, electricity and water connections are all at a final stage, Giannaki said. He also confirmed that the development would comply with Cypriot environmental law, noting that the majority of the area falls within the Natura 2000 network.
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