The historic tannery in Wola is to be sold. The City of Warsaw has put up for sale a plot of land covering over 1.6 hectares at 78 Okopowa Street. The site contains the remains of the former Temler and Szwede Tannery, and tunnels for the fourth metro line are due to be built nearby. If the plot finds a buyer, the transaction will rank among the largest sales of municipal land in Warsaw in recent years. The asking price is PLN 310 million.
The tannery in Wola and an attractive site
The subject of the sale is a plot of land that has been out of use since 2007. The main building of the former tannery, an administrative building, warehouses and a transformer station have been preserved on the site. The property is situated in a strategic location, near the Home Army ‘Radosław’ Roundabout, between Wola and Śródmieście. The history of the plant, the remains of which still stand on the site, dates back to 1819. It was then that Jan Gottfried Temler established a tanning business here. After relocating its operations to Okopowa Street, the company became one of the largest tanneries in the Kingdom of Poland. After the Second World War, it was nationalised and later housed various state-owned enterprises. The historic complex has remained abandoned and has been falling into disrepair for many years.
Requirements for the future owner
The purchaser of the plot will have to comply with a number of conservation requirements. The main building of the former tannery is listed in the register of monuments, whilst the administrative building is listed in the municipal register of monuments. The tender conditions require the historic buildings to be secured within one year of purchase. Over the following four years, renovation and conservation work must be carried out in accordance with the guidelines of the heritage protection authorities. Penalties amounting to 1% of the property price for each year of delay are imposed for exceeding these deadlines.
Investment opportunities and obstacles
The local spatial development plan permits commercial, office and hotel uses in this area. Multi-family residential development may occupy up to 40% of the development’s above-ground area, whilst in the southern part of the plot it is possible to construct a building up to 68 m high. The developer will also have to take into account the proximity of the future Metro Line 4, and the site will be located within the tunnel impact zone. Environmental studies have also revealed localised lead contamination in the soil. The city has announced measures to remove the contamination.
The tannery in Wola: a controversial sale?
The property on Okopowa Street is another site that is quite difficult or costly to develop, which the city is selling off. The local authority argues that the funds raised from the transaction will finance the renovation of council buildings, the construction of schools and the development of the housing stock. However, it is noticeable that Warsaw is increasingly opting out of using attractive land for its own purposes. The tender for the sale of the plot on Okopowa Street will take place on 17 June 2026. The deposit is PLN 31 million, and the minimum bid increment has been set at PLN 3.1 million.
Source: um.warszawa.pl, architektura.muratorplus.pl
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