Not only the Sea City is going to change its face in the near future

For many years, Gdynia citizens have been waiting for the implementation of the investment at the square between Władysława IV, Armii Krajowej and Obrońców Wybrzeża streets. In the near future, the previously neglected square is going to change its face. In the summer of this year, the investor planning to build three buildings in this place obtained a building permit, and recently the trees and shrubs growing over the site have been removed, which heralds the commencement of construction works.

The information has been confirmed by Hossa, the investing company. The area is currently being prepared for the implementation of a new investment consisting in the construction of two residential buildings and a public utility building. The construction works themselves will start until spring of 2018. Good news for residents is the fact that the investment has been planned so as to, in addition to supplementing the frontage of this part of Władysława IV Street, also create a new square between the buildings, which is going to be a new public space. There will also be a car park with public parking spaces under the same buildings.

The Sea City Brand

Śródmieście Morskie – a district of the city of Gdynia, changing before our very eyes, is raising increasingly more interest with our western neighbours. It is visited by organised groups of experts and also by the citizens and tourists interested in urban development.

Revitalising such a large post-industrial area located near the city centre is a chance for daring and creative investors and a challenge for the city’s authorities. Śródmieście Morskie possesses another advantage – it is located directly next to the Gdańsk Bay. Areas like this attract the best architectural design studios and thanks to their creations, become a calling card of their respective cities. Śródmieście Morskie where the old meets the new, is visited by many tourists interested in city planning and organised groups of experts. On 15 May of the current year the district was visited by researchers and students of the Osnabrück Polytechnic who toured the Fishermens’ Boardwalk (Molo Rybackie), the Gdynia InfoBox, the Seaport including the Grain Elevator, and the Gdynia Film Centre (Gdyńskie Centrum Filmowe).

The guests were very interested by the post-shipyard architecture which begins to ideally fit with new buildings constructed in the area – says Mr Jacek Debis, Director for Strategic Projects at the Gdynia Development Agency (Agencja Rozwoju Gdyni), the organiser of the excursion. – Śródmieście Morskie gains more and more recognition among urban planners, architects, and investors across Europe. We host many organised groups who wish to witness this unique moment in the existence of any city, when not single buildings, but entire districts are created.

Śródmieście Morskie was also on the route of the Open House Gdynia Festival. For one weekend in the year, the organisers open the doors of utility premises and beautifully designed residences for architecture buffs. The festival shows the transformation of public spaces and unveils the current nature of the city. Participants were able to go on a bicycle trip around the port, see the former Dalmore headquarters or the Port Authority building from where ships are being directed.

Discussion on the identities of cities in Gdynia

The participants of the second edition of the Real Estate Impactor conference, organized in Gdynia by the Rzeczpospolita daily in cooperation with the city, have discussed the identity of cities, their development and impact on the economy.

The theme of this year’s conference was “the Identity of cities – the impact in a global world”. In line with the latest trends, investors rely on the analysis of the potential of specific cities, rather than countries (as it was the case in the past) when selecting a place to invest. They implement their investments with respect to the real needs of the citizens, instead of focusing on business or the economy. Places where the comfort of living is the highest usually win the popularity rankings.
The conference in Gdynia gathered experts and members of local governments, who co-create modern cities, supplement their growth and build their potential. The visitors included, among others, professor Daniel Bell, the dean of the school of political science and public administration at the Shandong University and Richard Kokhuis, who works in Enschede in the Netherlands. Professor Bell told the participants about the ethos of a city as an indicator defining and building its identity. During one of the panels the participants (including Wojciech Szczurek, the mayor of Gdynia) pondered the importance of identity on the development of cities.

Nowadays, in many cities around the world, we often discuss identity and history and the bond built by the inhabitants of the city as growth factors. I’m very glad that this discussion, which offered new, worldwide perspective on the challenges facing Gdynia, strengthened our resolve in taking measures for the sake of the development of the city” said Wojciech Szczurek, the mayor of Gydnia. “This is another conference where we make an attempt to compare experiences of Gdynia to worldwide experiences in order to develop our city in a more effective manner – added mayor Szczurek.

Richard Kokhuis discussed the specificity of Dutch cities. Katarzyna Gruszecka-Spychała, the Deputy Mayor of Gdynia, took part in a debate on the process of developing better urban spaces. Marek Stępa, the Deputy Mayor of Gdynia responsible for spatial development of the city, participated in the panel on the art of combining history with modernity when developing plans.

The first day of the conference ended with a gala, where the Real Estate Impactor prizes were awarded to representatives of local governments, city institutions and developers behind some of the most interesting and successful projects, which improve the quality of life in cities on a daily basis.

Port on the seaside

Żegluga Gdańska will start launching cruises at the end of April. You will be able to travel from Gdynia to Hel, as well as explore the third largest Polish seaport from the bay.

During the season, passenger ships sail few times a day. The summer season on the Gdańsk Bay begins at the end of April and lasts until the end of September. Tourists can choose from over a dozen options. Żegluga Gdańska can take you through the Vistula Spit, Gdańsk Bay, and all the way to Kaliningrad.

We would like to particularly recommend cruises along the Gdańsk Bay and visiting the Naval Port, Naval Shipyard, and the Nauta Shipyard. It is a one of a kind opportunity for an up close look at places which are normally closed to the public. In the Naval Port, we can see great warships, smaller vessels, and even a submarine. Near the Southern Pier, ships at anchor and port installations. Along the way, the ship passes the Węglowy Basin, where coal is transhipped onto larger vessels. The cruise route will lead towards the container transshipment port. The voyage will be enriched by the guide telling stories about the port’s history, providing information about the buildings and ships we pass along the way, and revealing many other little titbits.
So – Ahoy! Let the adventure begin!

Waterfront II

Soon, the Śródmieście Morskie district will lose the Gemini Centre located near the Kościuszko Square. The investor applied for demolishing the building.

The Vastint Company, the investor of the Waterfront I complex which included the Courtyard by Marriott hotel and an 11-storey office building at the Prezydenta Quay, is commencing with the second stage of the investment. The Waterfront II is to be created between the Waszyngtona, Hryniewickiego and Jana Pawła II streets. The area of nearly 75 thousand sqm will include residential, office and service buildings, a hotel, and cinema. The investor emphasises that an important element of the concept includes arcades with an open square and a landscape which will allow the inhabitants and tourists to enjoy the unique locale. The investor announced that they will create a space which is friendly for work, leisure and relaxation, as well as living. The Waterfront II building design, prepared by JEMS Architekci, draws from the modernist and white architecture of Gdynia. The area is located near the Kościuszko Square which is a location for concerts, festivals, and other events, and is to constitute an additional highlight and an alternative way to spend free time. Thanks to this new investment, the city centre will be closer to the Gdańsk Bay and the citizens will have fun, work, relax and live by the seaside.

Gdynia Port at Waszyngtona street

The Port of Gdynia will purchase a 62 thousand sqm plot at Waszyngtona 1 street from the Nauta Shiprepair Yard.

The Nauta Shiprepair Yard announced a tender for the sales of the land from which it withdrew its operations. The attractively located plot was finally purchased by the Port of Gdynia Authority S.A., which submitted the best offer. Urban planners drew up
a spatial planning scheme for the area which envisages the development of two functions – the downtown function and the port function accounting for the plot’s location and vicinity of the port.

“We have included the plot in the spatial development plan as an urban or port area. This way, we left the door open for potential investors. We did not exclude the option for the port to be the manager of this place” – says Marek Stępa, the Vice-President of the City of Gdynia. “It should be assumed that the decision on purchasing post-shipyard areas means that they will serve as ports. This does not however, negatively affect what is happening nearby – a posh district of Śródmieście Morskie is being created right next to the Baltic.”

Due to the residential development in such close proximity, no arduous production operations will be allowed on the plot.

“As a maritime economy entity, we are glad that the area near ul. Waszyngtona will remain an element of the port and hope that the Port of Gdynia Authority S.A. will use it for interesting projects which will bring many benefits both locally and nationally” – explains Paweł Brzozowski, Vice-President of the Nauta Shiprepair Yard.

Sea City in Cannes

Sea City areas were presented at the international investment fair in Cannes. The vice-president of Gdynia, together with representatives of 11 European cities, took part in discussions on the possibilities of waterfront development.

Every year, MIPIM – The World’s Leading Property Market attracts real estate representatives from all over the world. It is a great opportunity to present the city, its advantages and areas prepared for investments to entrepreneurs. Sea City is a very strong brand of Gdynia, which attracts investors’ interest due to its unique location.
This year, Gdynia, together with other 11 European cities with similar investment areas at the junction with water, took part in a debate devoted to “New opportunities in Europe’s Waterfront Cities”. Gdynia began a discussion of the second part of the panel attended by representatives of Hamburg, Liverpool, Lisbon, Newcastle, Rotterdam and Stockholm. Katarzyna Gruszecka-Spychała, the vice-president of the city, presented Sea City investment areas the purpose of which is to be changed in order to create a new city district.

– We want to create a modern district, but, most of all, our goal is the city to remain a very friendly place to live, where people will be happy – said Katarzyna Gruszecka-Spychała, the vice-president of Gdynia, during the debate.

The delegation of Gdynia also participated in the panel entitled “Urbanity: new rules for new cities” and in the debate entitled “Paying for the Waterfront”, devoted to the possibilities of financing key investments in coastal areas. They met with investors from the hotel industry and held talks with the Scottish Minister of Development and the representatives of the prestigious Urban Land Institute Europe.
Gdynia presented the investment possibilities of the city as part of a joint metropolitan position – Invest in Pomerania.