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A
characteristic
phenomenon,
related
to the
growth
of large
cities,
is the
increase,
especially
in the
central
city
districts,
of strictly
commercial,
and
most
often
office
space.
In the
United
States,
it impacts
the
nature
of large
metropolises,
whose
downtown
districts
are
formed
of groups
of office
building,
and
which
become
completely
empty
during
weekends.
In
Europe,
just
like
in Poland,
the
issue
of commercialisation
of space
that
not
so long
ago
was
used
exclusively
for
housing
purposes,
is becoming
more
and
more
common.
A good
example
is that
of Frankfurt
am Main
that
is transforming
into
the
financial
capital
of the
European
Union.
Today,
the
centre
of Frankfurt
resembles
more
and
more
the
central
districts
of American
metropolises.
In
Poland,
large
office
buildings
so far
have
started
to dominate
over
the
downtown
housing
development
of Warsaw
only.
However,
no illusions
are
possible:
in a
couple
of years,
the
area
of the
Culture
and
Science
Palace
in Warsaw
will
resemble,
to a
higher
degree,
rather
Manhattan
than
cosy
Vaclavske
Namesti
in Prague.
Kraków,
due
to its
specific,
historic
character,
is not
probably,
endangered
by such
changes.
But
also
in Kraków
the
function
of its
centre
will
change
and
will
have
to adjust
to the
ongoing
transformations,
resulting
also
from
Kraków’s
metropolitan
functions.
The
turning
point
is the
construction
of the
so-called
New
City.
Experts
from
the
Kraków
real
estate
market
project
that
the
first
large
office
spaces
should
appear
in the
area
of the
KCK
Kraków
Traffic
Centre
in 2006.
According
to Mr.
Rafał
Oprocha
from
CB Richard
Ellis,
an international
company
handling
real
estate
markets,
Kraków
is viewed
as an
attractive
investment
place.
This
results
from
the
fact
that
there
are
well-educated
specialists
there,
and
land
prices
are
not
as high
yet
as,
e.g.,
in Warsaw.
Open
to the
World
The
specific
nature
of the
city
whose
very
centre
is under
complete
protection
causes
that
large,
commercial
projects
are
located
in a
certain
distance
from
the
Old
Town.
Symptoms
of changes
that
take
place
in the
city
are
the
first,
multi-storey
buildings,
erected
in attractive
regions
of Kraków.
One
of the
largest
is the
new
facility
in Bratysławska
Street,
17-storey
high,
developed
by Contract
Project,
a double-winner
of the
Project
of the
year
award.
"This
building
combines
several
functions,"
says
Mr.
Piotr
Murczyński,
the
Company’s
executive.
"We
are
aware
of the
fact
that
the
residents
of such
large
building
have
specific,
daily
needs
that
they
would
like
to satisfy
in the
place
they
live
in.
Thus,
when
designing
the
usability
programme
of the
commercial
part
and
seeking
buyers
of tenants
of usable
outlets,
we try
to ensure
that
the
services
they
offer
are
of maximum
usability.
The
second
floor
in our
building
in Bratysławska
Street
will
be occupied
by a
specialised
medical
clinic.
There
will
also
be shops
in the
building.
The
largest
hall,
with
the
surface
area
of 1,100
sq.m.,
will
be designated
for
commercial
purposes,
to become
the
equivalent
of the
former
"Gigant"
supermarket.
Bottom
floors
of the
building
are
usable.
Office
space
can
be freely
configured,
thus
making
large
surface
areas
up to
600
sq.m.
"The
building
is furnished
with
the
most
modern
telecommunications
links.
One
of the
largest
underground
parking
lots
in the
city,
a double-level
one,
for
250
vehicles,
is a
very
strong
trump
of the
facility.
The
unique
nature
of the
project
is that,
in accordance
with
current
real-estate
trends,
it is
possible
to live
in the
building,
to operate
a business
there
and
easily
communicate
with
the
world."
Despite
the
project
size
(there
are
over
300
flats
in the
building,
but
the
architectural
solutions
applied
make
the
interior
of particular
staircases
look
cosy
and
friendly),
it is
being
completed
with
a good
result.
"We
did
not
make
a mistake
while
reviewing
the
market,
though
the
building
was
constructed
under
the
more
difficult
economic
situation.
The
building
sells
very
well,
and
only
a few
free
premises
and
dwellings
are
available
now,"
says
Mr.
Krzysztof
Jacek
from
Contract
Project.
"Galileo"
from
the
Silica
Valley
The
office
building
"Galileo,"
constructed
in Kraków
by GTC
(with
WARBUD
S.A.
as their
General
Contractor)
is the
forerunner
of transformations.
The
building,
designed
by DDJM
Architectural
Office
and
managed
by Sodexho,
has
the
surface
area
of more
than
10,000
sq.m.
"High-tech
and
finance
companies
display
high
interest
in the
facility,"
says
Mr.
Rafał
Oprocha
from
CB Richard
Ellis
Polska.
"In
fact,
a sort
of the
"Silica
Valley"
is being
established
in the
area,
as we
have
in the
neighbourhood
such
companies
as,
e.g.
Solidex
or ComArch.
The
Deltavista
Holding
Group
is one
of our
tenants."
Open-space
office
premises
can
be shaped
freely.
Each
floor
of the
building
is provided
with
sanitary
units,
as well
as four-pipe
air-conditioning
system
to additionally
heat
or cool
premises.
"Several
Internet
providers,
that
are
able
to satisfy
any
demands
as far
as data
transfer
speed
is concerned,
operate
our
building,"
stresses
Mr.
Wojciech
Siwek,
the
technical
manager.
Structural
ceilings,
with
their
load-bearing
capacity
of more
than
500
kg/m2
provide
for
the
possibility
of installing
big,
digital
equipment.
Also
highly
significant
is the
fact
that
the
distance
between
the
floor
and
the
suspended
ceiling
is as
much
as 3
m. In
spite
of the
air-conditioning
system,
it is
possible
to open
windows
on each
level.
The
"Galileo"
has
high-speed,
new-generation
lifts,
a lunch-bar,
as well
as an
underground
parking
yard
for
98 cars
(150
parking
places
are
available
on the
outside).
The
building
constitutes
the
first
of the
four
stages
of the
large
office
complex.
GTC,
which
has
constructed
the
Mokotów
Business
Park
in Warsaw
(110,000
sq.m.)
and
the
Mokotów
Shopping
Mall,
is going
to construct
the
Kazimierz
Shopping
Mall
in Kraków,
too.
An
Offer
of Public-Private
Partnership
In
the
same
distance
from
the
centre
of Kraków,
in 6,
Wadowicka
Street,
the
large
complex
of Buma
Square
is being
erected.
Presently,
this
is the
largest
office
facility
in the
city,
with
the
leased
surface
area
of approximately
35,000
sq.m."
says
Mr.
Piotr
Michalski,
the
project
executive.
"We
want
our
office
complex
to be
maximally
friendly
to all
those
that
are
going
to work
in it.
That
is why
Buma
Square
will
offer
such
services
(IT,
accounting
services,
legal
advising,
beauty
parlours,
catering)
that
allow,
without
leaving
the
Buma
Square
area,
to settle
many
daily
problems.
Already
today,
there
is a
bank,
a post-office,
a newsstand,
a lunch
bar,
while
a large
restaurant,
a cafe
and
a pub
will
be established
in future.
The
development
plans
of Buma
Square
(the
project
is about
to be
completed
by the
end
of the
next
year)
include,
among
other
things,
a fitness
club
with
swimming
pool,
jacuzzi,
dry
and
steam
saunas.
The
facility
in 6
Wadowicka
Street
will
also
house
a large
congress
centre,
with
an audience
hall
for
600
persons.
"This
is not
a purely
commercial
project,"
declare
the
Buma’s
representatives.
"It
is impossible
to operate
such
facilities
based
on rents
only.
That
is why
we would
like
to have
it arranged
under
the
public
and
private
partnership
scheme,
with
the
participation
of the
Commune
of Kraków.
There
is a
shortage
of large
facilities
in the
city,
which
might
be a
venue
of conferences,
congresses,
and
which
would
attract
new
visitors
to our
city.
We hope
it will
also
be possible
to obtain
some
resources
from
European
funds."
What
should
a modern
office
building
be like?
–
"First
of all,
it should
be comfortable,
or such
where
you
could
leave
your
car,
without
any
fear,
and
be totally
safe
for
users,"
emphasises
Mr.
Piotr
Michalski.
Buma
Square
has
more
than
550
parking
and
monitored
places.
All
contemporary
commercial
facilities
are
constructed
in the
vicinity
of large
traffic
interchanges
and
transition
routes.
Office
space
rents
vary
and
amount
to EUR
8-20
per
sq.m.,
depending
on the
size
of premises
and
contract
validity
terms.
All
projects
we have
described
so far
are
undoubtedly
symbols
of recent
changes
on the
domestic
real
estate
market
that
is approaching
more
and
more
closely
the
Western
standards.
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