One of the youngest neighborhoods in Vilnius, Pilaitė, justifies its title and continues to be one of the most popular choices among young families, and the population of the district, dubbed the “city within a city”, is growing by almost a thousand every year.. The essential aspect of attracting settlers is usually the combination of the surrounding nature, supply, and infrastructure that has been significantly developed and is still being planned over the past decade.
The first apartment buildings in Pilaitė began to appear three decades ago, and by 2011, 20,000 Vilnius residents already called the district home. According to last year’s data, the number of residents in Pilaitė exceeded 31,000 and remains one of the fastest growing neighborhoods in the capital.
For the last few years, Pilaitė has had the largest supply of new housing, compared to other economy-class neighborhoods such as Lazdynai, Bajorai, Pašilaičiai or Justiniškės. Buyer activity was also determined by extremely attractive prices, which remain one of the most competitive among the aforementioned neighborhoods and reach approximately 2720 EUR per sq. meter. Due to the number of new projects, new apartments in Pilaitė are one of the most attractive this year, and increased competition has made housing in Pilaitė more affordable.
“Pilaitė has been among the top five most popular neighborhoods in Vilnius for at least 10 years. In 2023, 165 apartments were sold here, and in the first half of this year, 78 new housing units were purchased, so we can predict a similar pace by the end of the year. Although young families dominate among buyers, the constantly developing infrastructure of the district and the nature within reach are attractive to everyone. We notice that buyers of new apartments in Pilaitė are very often families already living in Pilaitė who needed additional space,” says Tomas Žiaugra, Director of the Development Department at EIKA Development.
Located in the western part of Vilnius, the district is characterized by convenient connections with other neighborhoods and the central part of the city. Eight bus routes run in Pilaitė, temporary car and scooter rental platforms operate, and the western bypass stretches nearby, connecting with the main roads in the directions of Panevėžys and Kaunas.
The name “city in the city” is also justified by the constantly growing offer of public and private services in the district: Pilaitė has several schools, kindergartens, a church, a polyclinic, beauty and health institutions, sports clubs and playgrounds, bars and restaurants, numerous grocery stores, and one of the largest shopping centers in Vilnius was opened a few years ago. It is expected that a new kindergarten will open its doors on Tolminkiemio Street in the fourth quarter of 2024. In the near future, new kindergartens, which are extremely relevant for young families, should also be built in the microdistrict on Pajautos, Priegliaus and Parko Streets, as well as a primary school, which will be located on Kanto Avenue. Vilnius City Municipality also plans to expand the Pilaitė polyclinic and new spaces for leisure – a swimming pool on Įsruties Street and tennis courts and a swimming pool on Čekoniškių Street.
“Looking at the plans of the public sector and private developers in Pilaitė, it is obvious that the growth and development of this microdistrict will definitely not stop in the near future. As the population grows, transportation, social infrastructure will be improved, and the number of parks and green areas will be increased. I believe that over time, the phrase “city within a city” will only take root here even more,” adds T. Žiaugra.
Over the past decade, Pilaitė has expanded most in the north and west, although new housing has also sprung up in the south of the district. However, according to EIKA Development, the district’s potential has not been exploited: about 1,000 new housing units may be offered here this year, including the company’s project “Saulės namai”, which will add 116 new apartments to the Pilaitė market.