Warsaw Voice - Marina Mokotów

30 June 2004

A prestigious residential estate is being constructed in the green area at the corner of Żwirki i Wigury and Racławicka streets. It will be built by a company set up by PKO Inwestycje-a firm owned by Poland's largest bank, PKO BP-and by one of the largest developers, Dom Development SA. Work on the project's first phase is advanced. In late April the investor obtained a permit to begin construction for the second phase.

Construction on the future Marina Mokotów estate has been underway since fall 2003 when a cornerstone was laid in the presence of Warsaw Mayor Lech Kaczyński. Work has progressed rapidly and today the shape of the most interesting part of this residential project-its main axis-is already visible. It is formed by rows of buildings, with luxury apartment houses in the east and buildings with raised-standard apartments in the west. The space between these buildings will be occupied by a park with an artificial pond, not the only green area in the estate. Green areas will take up over 60 percent of the 21.5-hectare Marina. Luxury apartment buildings and single-family houses, located a short distance from the main axis, will be hidden in greenery. Visitors to the estate will immediately see a park that is being created in the area of former fort embankments. The whole estate is located within the confines of the 19th-century Mokotów fort and the project makes excellent use of the historical groundwork on the estate's edge, which separates the buildings from the busy Racławicka Street.

According to the investment project, Marina Mokotów estate is to be self-sufficient. It is to exist within a city and take advantage of its assets including a location relatively close to the city center, next to one of the city's most important streets-Żwirki i Wigury, which runs to the Okęcie airport. At the same time, it is to be an oasis of peace and quiet in a busy metropolis that will provide its residents with comfortable living and relaxation-recreation areas, shops, restaurants, a post office and a bank. The ground floors of buildings earmarked for these functions will feature 5,000 sq m of space.

The other advantage of the estate is its layout. Marina is being built according to a carefully prepared and consistently implemented design, created by the team of one of Poland's most outstanding architects, Stefan Kuryłowicz. The plan includes not only the main axis and pond, but also a network of functional streets, and proper distribution of accents-something that will be visible immediately after entering the estate. The main road will lead to the round Róży Wiatrów Square, semi-circled by two apartment buildings that will form a kind of a monumental gate to the district. Atmosphere will also be created by small architectural objects-interesting, eye-catching elements, such as a sundial or fountain. In addition, the buildings, designed by the two well-known studios Szymborski i Zielonka and Szaroszyk & Rycerski Architekci, are interesting in architectural terms.

The location, architectural assets and high standard of the planned estate, as well as smooth construction work on the first phase, have already attracted many apartment buyers. Over 70 percent of apartments within the first phase-to be concluded next year-have already been sold. Clients also appreciate the fact that investors have provided excellent customer service in the modern and efficient Sales Office at the construction site. Loans extended by PKO BP bank also add to the estate's popularity.

In the second phase of construction, luxury apartment buildings, urban villas, and semi-detached houses will be built. There will also be two buildings with apartments for those with medium incomes. One of the investors, Dom Development, has been involved in a whole range of projects, some of them top-standard buildings, like Morskie Oko that is under construction now, as well as many others earmarked for people with medium incomes. The company has built similar buildings for several large residential areas in Białołęka district. The two residential buildings in Marina Mokotów will feature apartments with prices starting from zl.3,300 per square meter-rather inexpensive given its location in one of the central districts of Warsaw.

Marina will include a total of 1,500 apartments for up to 6,000 people. The 22 luxury apartment buildings will hold units of 37-220 sq m, while the six residential buildings will contain apartments from 33-131 sq m. There will be nine urban villas of 300-400 sq m plus up to 1,500-sq-m plots. The semi-detached houses will offer from 200-350 sq m and will come with plots of up to 700 sq m.

The investment project is scheduled for completion at the end of 2006. This marks the emergence of a small garden town not far from the heart of Warsaw. The top floors of the estate will offer a panorama of the capital's central business district. In the vicinity of the neighborhood are important institutions, shopping centers, sports centers and transportation infrastructure-however, the residential estate will be separated from them by the park and fort embankments along Racławicka Street, and by a congress, office and hotel complex on Żwirki i Wigury Street. The latter project, run by PKO Inwestycje, was also designed by Kuryłowicz's studio. These commercial facilities will hold some 10,000 sq m of office, hotel and conference space, so they will not overwhelm the residential area.

The investment project appears to be a well-conceptualized and planned urban composition combining various functions in the proper proportions. Dominated by residential space, the complex creates a harmonious, transparent living environment. In this way, it continues the traditions of great housing projects in Warsaw, such as the residential areas in Żoliborz and Saska Kępa.