The below list mentions by name the most important and interesting facts and events of the business and investment market which took place during the last twelve months in Katowice. The year 2011 was dominated by administrative procedures mostly concerned with choosing prime contractors for works in the cultural district and the Roundabout – Market Square area. Also private investors were involved in procedures and preparation works of their investments. Several construction sites were already occupied by construction crews.
January
– The Trans-Ziem company, a subcontrator of the development of Railway Station and Galeria Katowicka, finished demolishment works on the sixteen cup-shaped pillars of the Station’s former main hall, a unique example of the brutalist architecture. >>>
– Budus S.A. commenced a construction work on a first of four buildings planned within GPP Business Park of the Upper Silesian Industrial Park (Górnośląski Park Przemysłowy, GPP). >>>
– Nikiszowiec, a former coal-mine workers housing estate, was registered as the Monument of History and became 41st monument of Poland at the list. >>>
– Neinver and Inditex Group have concluded a lease agreement for nearly 4 000 sq. meters of retail space in Galeria Katowicka. The gallery’s first floor will feature stores of Zara, Pull and Bear, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho and Massimo Dutti. >>>
February
– The City of Katowice announced a willing to build a science center. >>>
– The City Hall of Katowice issued a call for tenders for construction works of International Convention Center (ICC). >>>
– Thirty-nine projects were submitted to a competition of an architectural and urban concept of a new seat of the Krzysztof Kieślowski Radio and Television Faculty (WRiTV), the University of Silesia in Katowice nationwide unit. >>>
March
– Maciej Jaglarz, a businessman and owner of the “Separator” office building at 2 Korfantego Av. and co-owner of the “Profi-Lingua” language schools’ chain, announced to finish an uncompleted building of the Business Center of Katowice (Katowickie Centrum Biznesu, KCB). >>>
– The Katowice Branch of the Association of Polish Architects (SARP Katowice) decided an architectural and urban contest of a new seat of the Krzysztof Kieślowski Radio and Television Faculty (WRiTV). The first prize went to the “Grupa 5 Architekci” studio from Warsaw. >>>
– Mostostal Warszawa S.A. was chosen by the City Hall to modernize a former seat of the regional journals – Press House (“Dom Prasy”). >>>
– Grupa Żywiec S.A., a Polish beer producer, announced an opening of a Customer Service Center in the Katowice Business Point office building and to create approximately 250 new workplaces. >>>
– Works on a new elevation of the “Spodek” sport and exhibition hall were started by Mostostal Warszawa S.A. >>>
April
– Two companies, Arena Management Ltd. based in Warsaw and SMG Polska Ltd. from the United States, decided to tender to win a concession for managing the International Convention Center (ICC) and “Spodek”. >>>
– The History of Katowice Museum’s branch was opened in the Nikiszowiec district. >>>
– Ruch S.A., a press distributor, leased almost 2 500 sq. meters of office space in Francuska Office Center to open the company’s accounting services center. >>>
– Twelve companies decided to tender to build the Invernational Convention Center. >>>
– The City Hall of Katowice issued a limited invitation to tender for the execution of construction work on the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra’s new seat (NPRSO). >>>
May
– The third European Economic Congress, the biggest business event in the CEE region attended by four prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary and Poland, was inaugurated. >>>
– 3Services Factory S.A. (3SF) opened a data processing center. >>>
– The European Commission made a positive decision on the project of the Silesian Museum’s new seat and decided about fund admission for one of the biggest investments in the Upper Silesia region. >>>
– Neinver and PKP S.A. representatives laid a cornerstone for the integrated transportation, retail and office center that is being developed at Szewczyka Sq. >>>
June
– Silesian Museum contracted a consortium of Budimex S.A. and Ferrovial Agroman S.A. to build a new seat of the Museum. >>>
– The Selection Committee of the European Capital of Culture 2016 visited Katowice (finally the EEC title was won by Wrocław). >>>
– The European Investment Bank (EIB) lent PLN 254,2 million (approx. EUR 65 million) to develop the cultural district of Katowice including the construction of the International Convention Center (ICC), the new seat of the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra (NPRSO) and an infrastructure in the cultural district. >>>
July
– A groundbreaking ceremony took place to formally begin a construction work on the new seat of the Silesian Museum. >>>
– Scientific Information Center and Academic Library (SICAL) was commissioned. >>>
– The Science and Technology Park of Euro-Centrum signed a contract with the Budus S.A. building company, to raise a passive building in the area of the Park. >>>
– The City Council of Katowice agreed to raise a bank loan for the City Center redevelopment. The PLN 100 million loan will be obtained from the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB). >>>
– Prime Properties, a subsidiary company of Centrum Development and Investments Poland (CDI), obtained a valid building permit for the Supersam retail center to be raised on Piotra Skargi St. >>>
August
– Multikino, one of the biggest multiplex operators in Poland, became a first tenant of Supersam. >>>
– The University of Economics in Katowice presented an Advanced Information Technology Center (AITC). >>>
September
– The University of Economics in Katowice and Mostostal Warszawa S.A. had signed a contract for conducting a construction work on the Advanced Information Technology Center. Works were launched several weeks later. >>>
– The City Hall of Katowice issued a tender for companies interested in a first stage of works on redevelopment of the Market Square – Roundabout area. >>>
– Fitch Ratings has affirmed the City of Katowice’s long-term foreign and local currency ratings at “A-“ with stable outlook. >>>
– The Central Mining Institute (GIG) from Katowice inaugurated a follow-up of HUGE project – HUGE2 Hydrogen Oriented Underground Coal Gasification for Europe – Environmental Aspects. >>>
– Katowicki Holding Węglowy S.A. (KHW) and Tauron Polska Energia S.A., two Katowice-based companies, presented its plans concerning Shared Service Centers to be located in the City. The presentations were given during the “Katowice – Clean, Green and Talent-Driven SSC/BPO/ITO Hub in Central Europe” conference. >>>
October
– The City Hall of Katowice contracted Polimex-Mostostal S.A. to raise the International Convention Center. The same month, a construction site was handed over to the prime contractor. >>>
– Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland, and Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament, inaugurated the first European Congress for Small and Medium – Size Enterprises which gathered about 2 500 guests. >>>
– Immofinanz Group opened an extension of Silesia City Center’s (SCC). The Austrian real estate company have invested EUR 50 million in the project and made it one of the top five shopping centers in Poland. >>>
November
– Twelve companies filed the bids to compete for a first stage of the Roundabout – Market Square redevelopment’s contract. >>>
– Prime Properties, a subsidiary of Centrum Development and Investments (CDI), entered into agreement with Resolution Property, a European real estate investor, to conduct an investment project of Supersam. >>>
– The City of Katowice gave away a municipal plot located at 3 Św. Pawła St. to the University of Silesia where the Krzysztof Kieślowski Radio and Television Faculty (WRiTV) new seat will be built. >>>
December
– The City Hall of Katowice decided the tender procedure concerning the first stage of the City Center redevelopment. The work will be conducted by a Polish-Spanish consortium of of NDI SA and Construcciones Y Promociones Building Bilbao Sociedad Anonima. >>>
– The City Hall of Katowice finished a two-staged limited tender procedure and chose a consortium of Warbud S.A. (leader), Przedsiębiorstwo Wielobranżowe „EBUD” – Przemysłówka Sp. z o. o. and LTT Sp. z o. o. for constructing a new seat of the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra (NPRSO). >>>