changing plans
The keen interest in the consultation process and the large number of questions directed to the organizers and the Agency proved to be the rationale for the schedule change. At the beginning of February 2021, the City and the ARMK proposed to develop a preliminary concept for the development of Wesola, taking into account the results of the debates so far, and submit it for discussion in Phase III.
Since the entire process was organized and conducted flawlessly, we perceived the extension and expansion of the consultation plan as an expression of goodwill on the part of the City," says Justyna Wójtowicz of the Wesoła Collective, one of the most active groups participating in the dialogue, " but instead of the planned fine-tuning of public proposals, we had to deal with a new document, which turned out to be very general and took little account of them.
At the same time, the City contributed the purchased properties to the ARMK property in kind. Although the move was intended to improve the management of the site, the operative action significantly weakened the belief that the discussions were working. "The Agency is not involved in consultations, and its actions are not transparent. While we were discussing proposals, the Agency was negotiating the lease of the so-called urology and, worse, the demolition, which we learned about after the fact." - Voitovich continues.
We demolished worthless buildings that had previously been inventoried in detail. We don't have our own detailed development plan prepared," denies Pamula 's speculations , "We are working on a sketch, some framework, because the situation is constantly changing. Until recently it seemed to us that we should realize a hotel on Wesola, after a year of pandemonium it is not even known whether there will be a willing party for such an investment.
The building of the so-called Red Surgery at 21 Kopernika Street recently donated to ARMK by the University Hospital;
due to its modern equipment, commercial medical functions are planned to be introduced here
photo: Tomasz Kiełkowski Archifoto
© ARMK
What about the plan?
What is known for sure is that the Agency's investment opportunities will be governed in a binding way by the MPZP. As Marek Kaszynski, president of the Cracow branch of SARP, points out,
The city, through the MPZP under development, has a decisive role in defining this space, coordinating neighboring investments and ensuring the harmonious development of the district. What will be built in the Wesoła district will be a direct result of the decisions made by the administrative bodies.
The draft MPZP, covering an area of more than fifty hectares, was put out for public review at the end of November 2020, in parallel with ongoing consultations. It assumes the creation of a city square in Wesola, the protection of historical monuments along Kopernika Street, the restoration of historic Renaissance gardens, and the creation of a wedge of landscaped greenery connecting the Botanical Garden with the Planty. In addition to service functions and landscaped greenery, a small area of residential development is planned, directly adjacent to the buildings on Bujwida Street.
The latter proposal, like the idea of recreating the Renaissance gardens, has aroused opposition; the dedicated area is narrow and directly adjacent to the existing buildings, and the plan does not specify how access to it would be resolved and whether, for example, St. Lazarus Street would not become a thoroughfare as a result. Socialists make comments in such cases and suggest a deeper discussion not only of traffic and transportation solutions. Justyna Wójtowicz lists:
Among other things, we suggested introducing residential and commercial development along the southern part of the designed square, increasing the biologically active area, and deleting or moving the planned development away from the existing one on Bujwida Street. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the Wesoła Collective's comments to the MPZP were rejected without any discussion. We are not the only group trying to have an impact on what will happen in the post-hospital areas, but I have the impression that we are bouncing off the wall.
At the same time, since the new Local Development Plan has not been passed, investments are taking off on the lots adjacent to the land purchased by the city. At Grzegórzecka Street, developer Orion is planning to build apartment buildings, while the nearby Dom Medyków is to be adapted into a hotel and expanded to house a private dormitory (designed by Grupa 5 Architekci). The view from Wesola to the Botanical Garden and the AWF grounds may soon be obscured (in a literal sense) by the building of the Institute of Forensic Expertise.
The building of the former Internal Medicine Clinic at 15 Kopernika Street, together with two neighboring buildings
(Kopernika 15A and 15B) are to serve as the headquarters of the City Library after adaptation
Photo: Tomasz Kiełkowski Archifoto
© ARMK
next step
Thepublic consultation report was published on April 15, 2021, but it is unclear how the City and ARMK will address its findings. Although Chairman Pamula declares that he will not act against public expectations, it is unclear on what basis the Agency will rely on the results of the consultation. Uncertainty is exacerbated by the fact that ARMK, as a municipal company, is virtually outside democratic control. Thus, there are proposals to continue consultations and put planned decisions up for discussion. The president of the Cracow SARP takes a different view: "Public consultations are necessary material for further work, but there is a moment when this stage should end and decisions should be made, the area should be designed. And in this final stage specialists - architects, landscape architects, urban planners - should have their say, preferably through a competition."
In the situation of managing public funds, the safest option (although not without drawbacks) is to conduct competition procedures. Marek Kaszynski argues:
The competition gives great security in terms of selection according to the criterion of quality, because it is decided by experts, and the project is selected from among the many concepts presented. In a city like Krakow, where we have numerous interest groups, a partial discrepancy between the proposals of architects and urban planners and the results of consultations is unavoidable - no project will satisfy everyone.
In the case of Wesola, multi-stage planning would be optimal: first an urban-scale competition, and then local ones for specific intentions - not only buildings, but also spaces or information systems. However, one has to reckon with the costs and time-consuming nature of such a procedure. For the time being, ARMK says it will announce a competition for the development of the main space of the post-hospital area, the so-called Galician Market, which is to include small-scale facilities for the creation, presentation and sale of arts and crafts, cafes, toilets and leisure facilities.
From the point of view of transparency and communication of the investment, an important element of the competition procedure is the discussion that takes place after it is decided. It allows all parties to the proceedings to ask questions and formulate proposals for inclusion in further design work.
The test of ARMK's goodwill may turn out to be the next two to three years, which is the time needed to prepare the documentation for the planned investments and take over the last buildings. Will proposals from residents and organizations such as Kultura Futura for the temporary development of the buildings be used? Will the former hospital pharmacy become an art gallery or the temporary headquarters of the Agency's branch?
The so-called old kitchen, a former hospital warehouse at 19 Kopernika Street, tentatively planned for adaptation into an elegant restaurant
photo: Tomasz Kiełkowski Archifoto
© ARMK
Social control of the investment?
The case of Wesola emphatically demonstrates significant difficulties in the forms of democratic management of urban space and investments. Among the many, one can mention the problem of the discrepancy between the needs and powers of the Agency and the clearly signaled influence of the social side on the shaping of reality. Jan Pamula states:
There is no golden mean in this situation. The Agency has an owner, a supervisory board and tasks it is supposed to carry out. We will certainly consult them, but there is no chance of executing the vision of every discussant or consulting every object, because we would never finish the process.
The solution is to be the Consultation Team appointed by Mayor Majchrowski, which includes ten city councilors - representatives of various political groups. They have an opinion-making function, including the ability to invite representatives of the social side to cooperation and meetings. "Until the Team is up and running, it is difficult to determine whether its establishment is a legitimate response to the alleged limitation of decision-making efficiency and a sufficient representation of residents," Justyna Wójtowicz declares. Jan Pamula adds, "I would like these opinions to be binding statements, to be implementable proposals."
It remains to be hoped that the goodwill expressed by all parties involved will result in the building of mutual trust. Undoubtedly, communication and continued attention to transparency of procedures must play an important role in the process of developing Wesola. Especially since constantly changing circumstances may require modification of plans.
Until [...] a shovel is driven into the ground, much can still be changed," reassures Marek Kaszynski. - I have a deep conviction that the Wesoła district is a development topic, not a closed and foregone conclusion, and that it will be a true showcase of the City in the future.
Alicja GZOWSKA
illustrations: archives of ARMK
