Authorities in Praga Polnoc presented a project for the reconstruction of Okrzei Street in the Praga Port area, which is to change its face thanks to the construction of a footbridge to Powisle. The concept for giving the street the character of an urban public space was prepared by the Design Initiative team.
Photo: Inicjatywa Projektowa
The concept for the reconstruction of Okrzei Street was prepared by the Working Team of the Praga-Północ District Office after consultations with city officials. The architectural, urban planning and functional project prepared by the Design Initiative envisages the complete reconstruction of Okrzei Street, which in the future will provide access from Powiśle to Pra ga-Północ. In the part closest to the Vistula boulevards, a wide promenade surrounded by greenery will be designed, with minimized car traffic and no separate roadway. In addition to pedestrians, cyclists and drivers will have their place, who will take the one-lane Okrzei street towards Targowa street.
traffic revolution
Photo: Design Initiative
The designed public spaces are to be primarily pedestrian-friendly. Panienska Street will be blinded, and at the level of Wrzesinska Street a "cut-through" will be created betweenłopotowskiego and Okrzei Streets. The staff of the Architecture and Spatial Planning Bureau has also requested the creation of a space for residents at the level of the Tax Office and the Marshal's Office. However, we will still have to wait for the changes. An important aspect before the project can be implemented is the completion of the Swietokrzyska Route, and thus the connection of Sokolskaya Street with Kievskaya Street, which will improve traffic flow in the district, the authors of the concept stressed during Wednesday's session of the District Council. This investment is not underway at the moment, so it's hard to predict when work on Okrzei Street would begin.
green light
Photo: Project Initiative
During the session of the District Council, the concept was presented to residents of Praga-Północ and councilors, who expressed a positive stance, at the same time requesting the President of the City of Warsaw,that it become the starting element for the Management of City Roads and the Office of Architecture and Spatial Planning in the implementation of the Okrzei Street revitalization project announced for the coming years, with a declared budget for the task of 18.000,000.00 PLN.
gentrification
photo: UM Warsaw
Theimpetus for the revitalization of this part of Praga Północ is to be given by the opening of a pedestrian and bicycle bridge under construction, which will connect the area with Powisle. However, the housing development under construction next door, the so-called Praga Port, indicates that instead of revitalization we may see gentrification activities here, with the whole set of negative phenomena they entail. Among them, the most important is the displacement of local commerce, residents, raising the value, and thus the cost of maintaining or renting property. The question is whether the planned development will not just accelerate these processes?
