The renovation of the facade of the tenement house at 21 Chmielna Street in Warsaw is underway. A large section of it has been cleaned in recent weeks. The exposed part is now like new
The tenement house at 21 Chmielna Street was built at the end of the 19th century. In 1919, it was bought by the Jabłkowski family, who a few years earlier had built a building known as the Jabłkowski Brothers Department Store right next door. Over the following years, the appearance of the tenement house changed, and even in the interwar period the historicising façade was changed to a more modern one
Luckily, the tenement house at 21 Chmielna Street survived the Second World War without major damage. During the reconstruction of Chmielna Street in the 1950s and 1960s, the façade once again changed its appearance. The original plastered façade was then clad with tiles whose texture imitates dark brick. In this way, reference was made to the appearance of the neighbouring townhouses at addresses 23 and 27/31, which have the same tiles on the façade
This procedure gave a new aesthetic value – the building with a typical 19th-century facade composition gained a then-modern finish, coherent with the neighbouring buildings from the period of Warsaw’s reconstruction, informs the Office of the Capital Conservator of Monuments
The works are aimed at removing dirt and corrosion from the façade. The entire work is supervised by a conservator. The building will soon regain its appearance from the period of the last reconstruction
Exposed part of the renovated façade
Workers are cleaning the tiles, strengthening their structure and filling in cavities. Missing joints are also being replenished. The plastered sections of the façade are being cleaned and replenished. They will also be given their original colour. In addition, the metal railings will be renovated. The renovation of the façade is subsidised by the city budget to the amount of PLN 109,000
It is worth mentioning that a thorough reconstruction of Chmielna Street will soon begin. The promenade will gain a new surface and lots of new greenery. We wrote about the project of changes HERE
source: WarsawCity Hall
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The façade BEFORE the work began
