December Friday morning in the Bliska Wola housing estate. Taxis approach the apartment blocks, many residents get on their bikes, and life is slowly beginning to begin in local cafes and service outlets. You can hear various languages and you may have the impression that Polish is not the most frequently used here. In the windows of apartments you can see flags of Ukraine and free Belarus. One could say – a typical housing estate of modern Warsaw.
However, just a few years ago, no one called JW Construction's gigantic project an “ordinary housing estate.” It was a large construction site to which residents were only gradually moving in, as they had to endure the hardships of life in a place where construction works were underway. And social media circulated photos of spectacular blocks of flats that evoked associations with Asian metropolises. Despite this, flats and apartments sold like hot cakes here.
The estate aroused emotions, but the apartments sold very well
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Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
View of the famous housing estate
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Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
“The estate came alive”
Today – as residents tell us – the estate has come to life. It evokes much less emotion. There are fewer and fewer empty apartments, although few people know their neighbors well. Why? — First of all, the turnover of tenants is high, as in the entire capital. Secondly, you can see that many premises are rented short-term, explains one of the residents of the estate. As we hear, you can meet people from every part of the world here, but neighborly friendships are rather rare.
Anyone who remembers this estate from a few years ago will experience quite a shock. In 2021 or 2022, it was still a construction site, and the view could bring to mind associations with science fiction films. Now you can see that the place is alive – there are residents on the streets, many service points have appeared, there are flower shops, numerous shops and bars. You can even see movement in the offices located in the estate. As befits a Warsaw housing estate, there are plenty of Żabki, including “store no. 6,000”. this network.
There are more and more shops, restaurants and service points on site
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Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
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The problems remain
Of course, not everyone says that life in the Bliska Wola estate is idyllic. Some admit that “this is not a place for those who are claustrophobic”. Walking down the aisles, you can understand it.
Bicycle parking in the Bliska Wola housing estate
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Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
The JW Construction project aroused controversy not only among urban planners, journalists and activists. There are also serious legal doubts regarding some facilities. These especially concern the gigantic Bliska Wola Tower. The developer has already received several refusals from the Warsaw City Hall to confirm the independence of the premises, which were built as hotel rooms. This means that JW Construction cannot sign notarial deeds with clients who purchased “investment apartments”. Because the Warsaw authorities believe that these are not independent premises, but simply hotel rooms. The case has been going on for over three years and it is difficult to say how it will end. Although “Gazeta Wyborcza” recently reported that the prosecutor's office had joined the dispute.
The rest of the article is below the video
Blocks of flats in the JW Construction estate
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Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
“The burden of the decision in the Bliska Wola Tower case will probably shift to the Local Government Appeals Court. It looks like the capital's city hall may lose the fight against fake hotels,” “GW” described.
However, the matter has become political and will probably not end soon. However, activists and representatives of the city hall certainly achieved one success. They managed to preserve the water tower building. It is an inconspicuous monument, “squeezed” between glass blocks. However, it has a fascinating story. Before World War II, the tower was part of the gigantic State Rifle Factory complex that was located in this area. During the war, the Germans destroyed the plant, but somehow the tower survived. Then it was taken over by the Precision Products Factory. Gen. Karol Świerczewski “Walter” VIS. The fate of the water tower was uncertain for a long time.
The developer spared the water tower. Service premises are being built there
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Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
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There was information that the facility may disappear to make room for another large block of flats. But ultimately, the developer – also thanks to pressure from the authorities – decided to keep the facility and renovate it. You can see that the work here is nearing completion. And advertisements for the sale of commercial premises in the tower are already appearing on websites.
This is one of the most “crowded” places in Poland
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Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
Gigantic towers of the estate
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Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
View from the estate towards office buildings in Wola
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Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
Buildings of the famous housing estate
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Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
Author: Mateusz Madejski, journalist of Business Insider Polska
