The third approach to the construction of a housing development in Warsaw's Saska Kepa shows that the mechanisms of lex developer sometimes force investors to significantly change their approach to investment. When cosmetic changes don't help get a building permit, developers have to compromise.
estate by the road
The first version of the project
photo FS&P Arcus
The first two approaches to the construction of the Grupo Lar housing development at the intersection of Lizbońska and al. Stanów Zjednoczonych in Warsaw were a failure for the developer. This is because it turned out that the "business as usual" residential project - a scaled-down housing development along a busy route with a small service offer and truncated public spaces - was unable to get the city council's approval.
square in the middle of the intersection
Location of the square
photo. materials of the City Is Ours association
In the first two projects, the recreational area indicated by the developer as an additional investment to improve the quality of public spaces in the area, was indicated as a square space in the middle of the snail's pace of the Lazienkowska Route exit (sic!). Such measures were to allow the construction of a building 13 meters taller than allowed by the local plan and to increase the building intensity from the allowed ratio of 1.8 to 2.37.
cosmetic corrections
The first version of the project
photo FS&P Arcus
Not surprisingly, the project prepared in this way was met with a wave of criticism from urban movements and protests from the local community. In addition to publicly available information, residents also picked up a number of inaccuracies in the project documentation. Among other things, they pointed out misrepresentations in drawings showing the context of the planned housing development - houses were turning into blocks there, existing blocks were larger than in reality. The developer was forced to update the project, but the changes made were not large. The development in its modified form assumed a building height of only 3 meters less than in the original version. The block was to have 220 to 235 apartments (40 fewer than in the previous version). In order to meet the requirement for accessibility to a nursery, the developer undertook to donate one of the commercial units for this purpose. However, he did not intend to set aside an outdoor garden, and the nursery would be located adjacent to a busy route.
There were only 2 councilors in favor of the developer's proposal as prepared, against 48 votes against and 7 abstentions. The project by FS&P Arcus studio was ultimately rejected.
new project
The second version of the project
photo by JEMS Architekci
In July, Grupo Lar once again submitted an application under the housing speculation law. This time the project was entrusted to the JEMS Architekci studio, and the entire development no longer resembles the original concepts. Learning from the experience of the previous application,the developer organized a series of meetings with residents and presentations of the project. Neighborhood talks were organized on the basis of the President's Instruction on the rules for conducting additional consultations on applications under the lex developer.
consultation
Second version of the project
Photo: JEMS Architekci
As the developer boasts - this was the first implementation of this procedure in Warsaw. Residents were asked what they thought of the project, what changes they would make to it, and what their concerns were. However, the consultation report published by the investor does not stun with the number of participants in the talks. At some stages there were individuals and submissions, while some concerned questions about the purchase of apartments. The changes introduced on the basis of the public dialogue are cosmetic. The biologically active area is to increase from 28% to 30% due to a green roof, birdhouses will appear, and a commemorative plaque will be preserved. Service spaces have been adjusted.
architecture
The second version of the project
Photo: JEMS Architekci
Quite different, however, is the architecture of the estate. The project envisages buildings that would have up to 5-6 floors above ground and one underground. The height would reach a maximum of 19.25 meters. The building intensity would be 1.98. The investor wants to allocate the entire first floor of the building along United States Avenue for commercial premises. A public walkway would be created at the side of the housing development. Among other things, food gardens would operate there. Service establishments would also be located in the corner parts of the buildings on the side of Lisbon Street. One of them, along with an adjacent garden, would be designated for public services implemented by the City.
new narrative
Investment website
photo by Grupo Lar
Theinvestment 'swebsite is also full of platitudes about building a place for everyone, the beauty of Saska Kępa and responding to residents' needs. While it's hard not to consider them marketing gibberish ("The intimate Lizbońska Street housing development is to become a space for development in the broadest sense."), it does show how wrong the developer was in originally approaching the investment in a standard way, that is, without considering the social context. While we are glad that this time it was the developer who had to make compromises, it is not worth losing our vigilance dormant with the consultation and marketing environment. Despite the recreational areas or public services enforced by the law, lex developer remains a law that allows local plans to be circumvented, and any proposal should be subject to detailed public scrutiny.
