Another successful renovation of a historic tenement house has been completed in the centre of Katowice, this time at 13 Opolska St. The Municipal Housing Management Company (KZGM) carried out a comprehensive energy modernisation of the building while restoring its historical architectural details. As a result, another Katowice tenement is once again fully in keeping with the character of the neighbourhood, which is dominated by similar historic buildings.
“As a city, we care for and develop the communal housing stock. On the one hand, the Katowice Social Housing Association is building new housing estates, as in the case of the Kosmiczna Street area in Giszowiec or on Korfanty Avenue, while on the other hand our Municipal Housing Management Company is carrying out ongoing repairs to the existing stock, which includes around 15,000 flats. This year alone, KZGM will allocate a total of almost PLN 23 million for the modernisation of the housing stock, part of which will be the preparation of investments for future years,” says Marcin Krupa, Mayor of Katowice – says Marcin Krupa, Mayor of Katowice. “The tenement from 1900 located at 13 Opolska Street is one of the buildings that contribute to the atmosphere of downtown Katowice. Thanks to the care taken during the renovation to restore the architectural details, the building has regained its former splendour,” – adds the Mayor.
During the renovation work, decorative architectural details were discovered under a thick layer of plaster, but they were in poor condition. It was therefore decided to fully restore them. Models were prepared and then reproduced, including the decorative strip on the plinth, cornice, window sills, window bands and the portal of the passage gate and the emblem with the date of construction of the building. Inside the building, the staircase was restored, the decorative black and white trellis floor and staircase were replaced and decorative balusters were installed under the balustrades.
Katowice tenement before and after renovation. Source: kodens79/photopolska.eu and katowice.eu
The basement before and after the renovation. Photo: Google Maps and katowice.eu
In addition to the aesthetic renovation, a number of technical works have been carried out in the tenement to improve the comfort of the residents. The window joinery has been replaced, new cladding installed and damp and thermal insulation of the foundation walls. Gas, water and sewage installations were rebuilt, and a new intercom system and SMATV community antenna were installed. The building received central heating and hot water from the network.
The cost of the works, which lasted from July last year, was more than PLN 2.8 million and the contractor was the CES company from Sosnowiec. Thanks to the modernisation, the building has gained both in aesthetics and energy efficiency.
Source: katowice.eu
Read also: Architecture | Metamorphosis | Tenement house | Katowice | Architecture in Poland
