Piastowskie estate is the oldest and largest settlement in Ratajsk. In an ideal world, greenery and parks would spread between the buildings, community centers would find their place on the estate.... The development plan also allows for the construction of commercial premises here. So the owner of the plot plans to build a rest house in Ratajy. Will the building actually be a service building? The offer shows something completely different...
micro-apartments or services?
Currently, the site was occupied by the building of the almost iconic Kasztelanska restaurant. Currently, the building is slated for demolition. A private investor plans to build a rest house here, as this is the only name for this project that fits into the zoning plan. Meanwhile, a two-story apartment building will be built here. Or rather, a residential block filled to the brim with micro-apartments. As a consolation, trees will be planted all around.
Micro-lofts instead of restaurants
Residents learned about the changes and the planned demolition from a card posted on the fence. A private investor, after all, does not have to reckon with the will of the residents of the estate. No one asks anyone's opinion when it comes to the possibility of creating such a promising investment called "Lofty on the Warta River. " Poznan-based developer Villa received approval for the development in March this year. But are the lofts in question definitely a rest home?
Lofts on the Warta River | © Villa Poznan
The three-story building will feature more than 100 micro-apartments in a light loft style. The 19-35 sq. m. space will contain all the necessary functions (living room, kitchenette, bathroom), and the non-standard height of up to 4.5 m will allow to separate, on a raised level, an additional bedroom. - reads the Villa developer's ad on the Otodom housing portal.
Piastowskie housing estate, archival photo
The project was designed by Easst Architects studio. The buildings visually allude to the historic character of the post-industrial brick buildings that once stood on the Warta River. The developer's announcement indicates that the apartments offer a basement, elevator, garden, security and terraces. What is surprising, however, is the information regarding the specifications of the properties offered on the portal - apartments. After information and protest from residents of the development on social media, it was changed to "commercial premises."
The question relates to the investment, which will be carried out on the basis of a building permit covering a building of communal residence (rest house) with service premises of the office type on the underground floor and the necessary accompanying infrastructure. Such an intention is in accordance with the applicable plan. The authority does not have the authority to assess whether it is justified from an economic point of view - whether the spatial context will favor or hinder the business, explains Piotr Sobczak, director of the Urban Planning and Architecture Department of the Poznań City Hall, in anin an interview with Gazeta Wyborcza - Nonetheless, it should be noted that the location is in close proximity to sports and recreational facilities, which the mpzp Park on the Warta River maintains or provides for right next to where the Piastowska footbridge will start.
leisure development patodevelopment
In view of the growing controversy surrounding the construction of a so-called "rest house" at this location, we, as a neighbor, will ask the Poznań City Hall to clarify the situation. We are concerned that the local zoning plan allows for the construction of services at this location, while the Poznań-based Villa company on its website offers to sell 100 lofts for interested parties to live in. We also learn from the developer's offer that it will provide only 66 above-ground parking spaces, which is bound to exacerbate the parking problem at Osiedle Mlodych, writes Julia Tritt, spokeswoman for the housing association Osiedle Mlodych.
The city's councilors are also asking for an explanation, and the building supervisor has also taken an interest in the matter. But will this make anyone think about the idea of taking away the voice of the residents of the estate, taking away common space and creating premises with conditions that do not comply with architectural standards?
intervention!
In my opinion, this development does not comply with the development plan, because in this place there are supposed to be services, and what is to be built here does not fall into this category. Together with other councilors from the Piast Estate, we believe that this is a circumvention of regulations and an attempt to make money at the expense of the comfort of the residents of the estate. Therefore, we will demand an explanation from the city on this matter," announces Lukasz Garczewski, a councilman from Rataj and resident of Osiedle Piastowskie. Piastowski. - It is a pity that as Poznań residents we have to intervene in this way in the case of this and other investments.
This time the developer has circumvented not only the architectural standards of the residential units, making them "service", but also the entire development plan. There will be no parking spaces for residents, whom no one asks for their opinion anyway, but after all, trees were included in the development plan as a consolation.
