It is one of the largest and centrally located plots in the downtown of Katowice. The 2,5 ha land on Mikołowska St. is still unused and waiting for development. GTC, which has owned the property for almost a decade, unveils a bit of its current plans concerning the area.
In November 2006, GTC informed that the company had purchased two plots in the center of Katowice. The first one was located on Francuska St. (0,7 ha), where Francuska Office Center – comprising two 7-storey buildings of approximately 21 700 sq. meters worth EUR 50 million – was delivered by the developer four years later. The second investment land was situated in the area of Mikołowska, Strzelecka and Raciborska streets. The combined value of both transactions amounted to PLN 30 million.
Nine years later the 2,5 ha Mikołowska/Strzelecka/Raciborska plot is still vacant. Only a car park and resale shop of cars are currently located on the site. GTC wanted to erect there Mikołowska Office Center (two buildings: nine- and eight-storey) and Moderna Apartments (three buildings reaching from five to nine storeys and offering 384 apartments to be situated between Strzelecka and Raciborska streets) with a total area of over 40 000 sq. meters, however the plan has never been fulfilled.
Now the developer has partially new plans for the site. „We still owns the land. At present we negotiate with potential purchasers, which are willing to conduct there a housing development. However, we can not disclose any names of the companies” – says Marek Wachowski, development director at GTC.
The developer also commented on the office market in the city and the office project. „Katowice and the Silesian agglomeration are one of the largest office markets in Poland. The presence of universities and well-educated young people, well-developed transport and efforts of the city authorities make that the agglomeration attracts BPO and SSC sector companies more and more effectively. There are more than 350 000 sq. meters of modern office space at present and another several dozen are under construction. GTC considers the possibility of development of an office project covering 23 000 sq. meters to be delivered in two phases” – Marek Wachowski added.
Regardless of the intentions of GTC, in June this year the City Council of Katowice adopted a resolution concerning the preparation of a local spatial development plan for the 5-hectare area between Mikołowska, Strzelecka and Raciborska streets. The GTC plot is located in the subjected area. According to the plan, the whole land will be destined for housing and service purposes.
