Long-awaited renovation work has just begun in the historic building at Dolna 3 in Gdańsk, where the French consulate was located more than a century ago. The investment is being carried out by Gdańskie Nieruchomości and the work is being co-financed by the European Union. The gross value of the contract is almost PLN 4.9 million.
Dolna 3 and its fate
The tenement house was built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and consists of the main building, an annexe and a connector. The first two parts of the building are included in the municipal register of historical monuments, so all works are carried out under the supervision of the conservator. The most visible change will be the complete renovation of the historic façades. All details will be restored there, which are now severely dented by time, and the woodwork will be replaced to match the original. A fragment of the inscription on the façade, which is a remnant of the building’s first owner, Ferdinand Rzekoński, will also be restored.
The works include the demolition of the outbuildings, the reconstruction of the basement entrance and the construction of a new staircase with a historicised canopy. Strengthening of the structure and protection of the facade, as well as thermo-modernisation of the walls and structure of both buildings, are also envisaged.
The interiors will also be completely renovated. This will include the installation of new installations, the modernisation of the staircase and the ceiling structure. Upon completion, seven flats will be created in the building. The ground floor and ground floor will have units of approximately 40sq m, while the attic will house a spacious unit of approximately 75sq m.
Dolna 3 – history of the building
The history of the building dates back to the end of the 19th century. It was then that Ferdinand Rzekoński erected a tenement house with an annexe. The premises were rented out to residents of the Lower Town, and in 1904 the French consulate was located in one of the rooms. A few years later, the property passed into the hands of Wilhelm Liessau, an engineer and director of a company producing nautical instruments.
The tenement house before and after renovation. Photo: Gdañsk Real Estate
In 1915, with the renumbering of the streets, the building was given the address Dolna 3. In the following decades, the tenement was owned by Ida Bounchée, Gertrud Lietzau, the merchant Ernst Schittat and the master potter Grochowski, who changed his name to Grochau just before World War II. The tenement was not destroyed during the war and after 1945 it became the property of the city.
The tenement house in the Lower Town today
After the war, communal flats were arranged in the building at 3 Dolna Street. The lack of proper renovation and care of the building led to its significant deterioration and the need for comprehensive works. The renovation that has just begun will bring out the most valuable and beautiful qualities of the monument.
Source: Gdansk City Hall, Gdansk Real Estate
Read also: Architecture in Poland | Tenement | Renovation | History | Gdańsk
