“LASİAD conducted a consultation meeting for the road construction project of Soğanağa Mosque Street, Ağa Çeşmesi Street, and Küçük Haydar Efendi Street on July 8, 2013, at Darkhill Hotel.
The consultation meeting was attended by Mehmet Ustaoğlu, Deputy Mayor of Fatih Municipality, Yener Ustabaş, Head of Fen Works at Fatih Municipality, Muhammed Sancaktar, Vice President of the LASİAD Board of Directors, LASİAD Vice Presidents Ercan Çelik and İsmail Dark, LASİAD Board Members İrfan Akbaş and İbrahim Murat Ramizoğlu, LASİAD Secretary General Şerafettin Yüzüak, LASİAD Foreign Relations Manager Halil Kılınç, LASİAD Public Relations Manager Muharrem Ay, and the merchants of Soğanağa Mosque Street, Ağa Çeşmesi Street, and Küçük Haydar Efendi Street.
Speaking at the meeting, Muhammed Sancaktar, Vice President of the LASİAD Board of Directors, briefly mentioned the infrastructure and road works in Laleli, stating, “Infrastructure and road works were carried out in Upper Laleli as part of the 2010 Cultural Capital program. After discussions with the municipality, we took Şair Haşmet Street as a pilot street. Then, Lower Laleli Streets were completed. We wanted to carry out works on Soğanağa Mosque Street, Ağa Çeşmesi Street, and Küçük Haydar Efendi Street, but due to some difficulties, it couldn’t be done. We are neither legislators nor enforcers. We are just an association. The cost of the materials used in infrastructure works is covered by the street merchants, while labor and other material costs are covered by the municipality.”
Mehmet Ustaoğlu, Deputy Mayor of Fatih Municipality, stated, “So far, an area of 45,000 square meters has been completed. Before the works, consultations were held with institutions such as BEDAŞ, İSKİ, TELEKOM. Then the works started. Our estimate for the completion time of Soğanağa Mosque Street is 2 months, but this period can be extended in case of any complications. Soğanağa is one of the main arteries of Lower Laleli. It is a very busy street. The work will certainly not be easy. Therefore, we expect patience and understanding from you. We will start in about 10 days. We will not close the entire street. It will be worked on in parts. We will take care to ensure that your businesses are not disrupted.”
At the end of the meeting, a committee was formed for the road construction project:
- Bülent Akgün – Akgün Hotel
- Refik Demirok – Monte
- Nazım Güler – Sevita
- Gani Kaya – Turkuaz
- Muzaffer Doğan – Suitmen
- Murat Ecevit
- Faruk Söğut
- Vedat Toy – White Sea
- Faruk Sarıoğlu – Sapphire
- Ercan Çelik – Momento
- İsmail Dark – Darkhill”
