Vastint Poland will soon start the construction of Portowo in Poznan – the largest housing scheme on the right bank of the river Warta in Poznan, in years. The main advantage of the newly built housing estate will be its proximity to water and recreational areas, as well as environmentally friendly solutions meeting ESG goals. Vastint Poland is already known to the inhabitants of Poznan for its Business Garden office complex, as well as for refurbishment of Stara Rzeznia.
Portowo is planned for realisation on a 19-hectare site located at the river bank of the Warta, near the centre of Poznan, at one of the city’s most important traffic junctions.
“The area of the former river port is a beautiful, yet little-known corner of Poznan. Everyone who visits, is surprised that such a well-preserved gem still exists in the city. The activities at the Stomil factory will be shut down in the coming years, thus removing the last argument against settling in this charming area. This situation can be compared to Jezyce, where housing is booming on post-industrial sites – beautiful houses are being built on land abandoned by sizable companies.”, says Rafał Przybył, Regional Manager at Vastint Poland.
The area envisaged for the Portowo development was once used for economic purposes. It housed a cosmetics factory and a river port. The character of this undeveloped, post-industrial area will change substantially over the next several years as a modern residential district will be created. The realisation of this huge development will take place in 5-6 stages. Construction of the first phase is scheduled to start in Autumn this year, while the final phase is likely to be completed in 2036.
Ultimately, the development will consist of approximately 50 multi-family buildings of varied character with modern ground floor retail and services. On the side of Hetmanska Street and the Staroleka roundabout, big-city developments are planned, while on the river side the buildings will be much lower and cozier. The development will be accompanied by publicly accessible green areas, public amenities and places for recreation and leisure for both children and adults. The project also includes the redevelopment of Starolecka Street from the Staroleka roundabout to Romana Maya Street.
“Portowo is located in an area of outstanding landscape value, which has been integrated in the design. The estate will slope gently towards the river to provide future residents with direct visual contact with the water, not least because the lower buildings will be situated directly next to the river and the higher ones gradually, increasingly further away. It will be a very green place, as green areas will make up almost 30% of the estate. The project also envisages a number of the environmentally friendly solutions, which will be confirmed by LEED certification,” says Szymon Wojciechowski, co-owner and Architect-Partner at APA Wojciechowski Architekci.
Picturesquely situated on the banks of the river Warta, the development is planned as a self-sufficient, intimate town with all amenities and services. Among other things, there will be a neighbourhood marina for motorboats, boats and canoes, a causeway connecting the northern part of the project with the riverside area, as well as a bridge over the Obrzyca River. The development of the Warta riverbank and the inclusion of the housing estate in the network of existing cycle paths and waterways is planned in further stages of the project.
Portowo will offer a total of 1,800 homes for sale and rent to private customers. They will range from 30 m² in the case of small studios to over 100 m² in 5-room apartments. All units will be functionally planned and ready to move into from the first day after completing the formalities. Customers interested in buying or renting will be able to view and choose a finished flat, in one of several available styles, once construction is completed.
Portowo has a long history, starting with Vastint’s purchase of a building plot in 2008. The first outline of the project concept was presented to the public three years later, but the start of the development was significantly delayed due to third parties protesting administrative decisions. In parallel to the appeal proceedings, the developer cooperated with the Poznan authorities in preparing the “River in the City” development strategy and adapting the project to its guidelines. Portowo fits in with the city’s blue-green strategy and will be one of the few projects implemented in the spirit of this idea. In 2019, Vastint acquired an adjacent plot of land, expanding the development site by an additional three hectares. The building permit for the first phase of the development was obtained in 2022 and a general contractor will soon be selected. Arrangements for the next stages of this scheme are the subject of discussions with the City Council. The aim is to develop solutions that are beneficial to the city and its residents.