Since last September, the city has been looking for an investor to entrust with the renovation and long-term operation of the historic Gwardia Hall and the land belonging to it. City activists are protesting. Why? What does the future hold for Gwardia Hall?
Tender, seven companies, seven bids
The tender, announced last year, is to select a company that will carry out the design, renovation and modernization of the eastern Mirowska Hall, or popularly known as Hala Gwardii, at its own expense, as part of a public-private partnership. Seven companies have applied: Property Group XXVIII Sp. z o.o. (a company associated with the investor of The Tides building on the Vistula River, housing a sports and hotel center and the headquarters of the Warsaw Rowing Society), Food Hall Poland Sp. z o.o. (one of its owners is the creator of the Breakfast Market, and has commercialized Hala Koszyki and Hala Gwardii), Multibud Investment W. Ciurzyński SA (a development company), White Star Real Estate Sp. z o.o. (investor of the Elektrownia Powiśle multifunctional complex), CBR Events Sp. z o.o. (current operator of Hala Gwardii), Budimex I Sp. z o.o. (one of the companies of the Budimex construction company), and Mota-Engil Central Europe PPP 3 Sp. z o.o. (a company specializing mainly in the construction of roads, bridges and transportation facilities). It is the winner of the tender that will decide its function, and profits from renting the premises are expected to offset maintenance costs.
Gwardia Hall today | photo WikiCommons
What was the Hall, and what will it become?
Hale Mirowskie was built at the turn of the 20th century and until 1944, and at the time was the largest large-scale shopping facility in the capital. During World War II, the eastern hall was partially destroyed, but the main walls and metal structure survived. Unfortunately, the original sculptural decorations and attics were also damaged at that time. In 1950, the hall was adapted as the headquarters of the Militia Sports Club "Gwardia." The western hall was left with a commercial function. The Gwardia Hall was used for sports shows, and a mezzanine and grandstand were designed. The basement was arranged for gymnasiums, shooting ranges and training rooms. In the 1990s, the hall was restored as a commercial facility. Until the selection of a contractor for the renovation, Hala Gwardii filled with commercial and catering stands, which remain empty during the pandemonium.
Technical drawings of Gwardia Hall from 1901. Elevation and cross-section | photo: UMW
In just one month, at the end of April 2021, the city will begin negotiations with companies that would potentially manage the hall. At that time, a model for the implementation of the project will be worked out, as well as a detailed division of tasks and risks, along with the terms of the contract. Negotiations will continue until the end of this year. In May 2022, participants in the proceedings will be invited to submit bids, and the city will select the most favorable one. Design work will be able to begin later that year, City Hall says in an official statement on the UM website.
Gwardia Hall today | photo: WikiCommons
why a private partner?
The public-private formula helps finance the city's tasks, especially in times of budget problems. We want to quickly implement projects related to the development of the city, the private partner allows us to do so. All our requirements will be guaranteed by the contract. The property will remain the property of the city. Estimated expenditures for the work by the operator will range from PLN 34.6 million to PLN 37.6 million, depending on the scenario. As part of the revaluation, the entire underground section, which is not in use now, will be put into operation. The main function envisaged for the building is: services with a gastronomic and cultural profile, commercial and retail.
City Hall spokeswoman Karolina Galecka reports in an interview with Gazeta Wyborcza, while noting that the market will remain in place, and the new space will be modern - with local healthy food, a culinary zone, but also a meeting place and cultural events. The preservationist's guidelines call for preserving the historic function, which is to integrate residents. The new concept does not allow large-format or discount retail. The city, on the UM website, announces that important in the plans is also the commemoration in the renovated hall of Felix Stamm, the founder of the so-called Polish boxing school. The renovation must be carried out in accordance with conservation guidelines. The contractor selected in the competition will, among other things, renovate and complete the preserved details of the facade (including cornices, balustrades, window bands), and traces related to warfare (such as bullet marks) will be conserved.
Why the activists' opposition?
The intention to hand over Gwardia Hall for long-term use to a private investor raises doubts among urban activists from the City Is Ours and Stone and What? We Save Warsaw's Monuments. It turns out that residents (who have so far voiced their opinions in the ongoing public discussions) mostly don't want another shopping center or expensive restaurants like in Koszyki Hall. There have been many voices about the need for a public, accessible space for all, planned for residents, not for the profits of a private investor. The debate, organized by theCity Is Ours organization , was unfortunately not attended by representatives of the City Council to answer the activists ' concerns. Transcript of the debate, in the link below.
Debate - The Future of Hala Gwardii and Targowisko | YouTube.
Activists stress that the decision to turn the Hall over to private hands was not preceded by public consultations.
Even if it takes many years and the renovation is done in stages, this is a better solution for residents than if a private investor were to do it. In the latter case, there is an inevitable increase in prices, a change in function and a probable change in the character of the place to a more commercial one and less accessible to residents, the authors of the petition (MJN) write.
The example they cite as an anti-pattern is the well-known Koszyki Hall, which, although after its revitalization (by JEMS Architekci), architecturally won many awards and gained new life, while remaining in the hands of a commercial investor, has become a space for expensive restaurants, and not, as before, an actual place for social integration. The authors of the petition to the Mayor of the Capital City of Warsaw, also point out that in addition to the Hala Gwardii, there are city lots marked on the plan as "optional properties," which include Mirowski Park and a section of the Saxon Axis by the hall and the Lubomirski Palace, among others.
Gwardia Hall and Mirowski Hall, drone view | YouTube.
President Trzaskowski praises public-private partnerships as a proven procedure, but the example of Targowa 56 revitalized under this formula does not fill us with optimism - the space originally intended for craftsmen is now rented for offices and events for the so-called creative industry. Invariably, therefore, we appeal as MJN to officials to take a step back and listen to the voice of the residents, before it is too late and the city loses this unique, historic building for several decades. In my opinion, there is no need to "reinvent the wheel" and the Guardia Hall could quietly fulfill its original function, that is, a market hall with fresh food stalls. Such places function perfectly in Riga or Budapest. Another Hala Koszyki is really no longer needed in Warsaw. - warns Stefan Gardawski of the City Is Ours Association in a debate with GW.
Will Hala Gwardii lose its historic fucnction of social integration, or is a private investor able to actually take care not only of the historic building, but also its soul?
