The Capital Park Group has completed the revitalisation of the Norblin Factory. The complex was granted an occupancy permit at the end of August 2021. The multifunctional project has a total area of over 65 thousand square metres. Its office space has already been fully leased. Visitors to the Norblin Factory can enjoy cultural, entertainment and dining concepts including the original KinoGram cinema, the Bio Bazar organic market, and the capital city’s largest food court Food Town.
The revitalisation of the former Norblin, Buch Brothers and T. Werner factory began in 2008 when the two-hectare post-industrial site located at the junction of Żelazna, Łucka and Prosta streets was acquired by the Capital Park Group. The Norblin Factory offers over 65,000 sqm of usable area with A+ class offices taking up 41,000 sqm of space and the remaining 24,000 sqm filled with entertainment, culture, food, service and retail concepts. There are two main alleys in the complex, named after Ludwik Norblin and Teodor Werner, accessible 24/7. The office space has already been fully leased, as has more than 65 per cent of the entertainment, food, culture and retail space. The architecture of the Norblin Factory was designed by the studio PRC Architekci. The general contractor of the investment was Warbud SA working in co-operation among others with Soletanche Polska, Maat4, and TKT Engineering. Monument Service was responsible for the conservation of historical buildings. Bank lending was provided for the investment project by Bank Pekao SA (€99.3 million) and the European Investment Bank (€ 60 million); combined with the Capital Park Group’s own funds, it paid for the construction costs.
“The completion of the revitalisation of the Norblin Factory is a most important and emotional moment for our whole team. After years filled with challenges, difficult decisions and great efforts put into the project, I am proud to say that it was really worth it. I am happy to see day after day how the former Norblin and Werner factory once again turns into a vibrant part of the city. On behalf of the Capital Park Group, I would like to thank all the companies and individuals involved in this long-time demanding revitalisation process. With our joint efforts, we have managed to recover the former factory site and preserve its key features: a unique atmosphere and vivid history palpable in every nook and cranny of the place,” said Kinga Nowakowska, Member of the Management Board and Chief Operating Officer of the Capital Park Group responsible for the revitalisation of the Norblin Factory.
The Norblin Factory complex is equipped with a dedicated modern building application that offers three levels of access for visitors, office tenants, and suppliers. Visitors to the complex can use the solution to pay less for a parking space and buy cinema tickets. Office workers use the application to gain access to specific parts of the building from the moment they enter the car park up to the entrance to the office. Suppliers arriving with deliveries at the facility can book a parking space in the delivery zone.
The complex includes a unique boutique cinema, KinoGram (3,300 sqm), which offers seven screening rooms sitting a total of 525 people. KinoGram is also the seat of the Polish Directors’ Guild which provides expert support. The cinema displays an original Oscar statuette from the composer Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, and it features the Flow Art House art gallery. Fans of healthy unprocessed food will relish a broad offer of Bio Bazar (2,000 sqm), Poland’s first market with certified organic products, which makes a come-back to the post-factory location after several years. The Norblin Factory is also home to Warsaw’s largest restaurant zone, Food Town, which comprises as many as five historic halls and 23 restaurant concepts serving dishes from all over the world. Overall, the Norblin food hall offers 3,200 sqm of space. One of the five halls is dedicated to culture and entertainment events. The complex also features Piano Bar located in one of the oldest buildings dating back to the days of the first owner of the location, Franciszek Ryx, the butler of the last king of Poland. Buqiet florist’s, a YES jewellery store, and Alkohole Świata shops have already opened in the Norblin Factory. In December, the Tashka publishing house, which is also the operator of the Norblin Factory Museum, will open its doors, as will the craft beer bar UWAGA Piwo and the Sirene Eyewear optician’s.
Opening at the Norblin Factory next year are the Apple Polska Museum (320 sqm) as well as Poland’s first fully digital art gallery, ART BOX Experience (800 sqm). Additional restaurants will open, including Soul Food, the Paradiso, as well as Blue Cactus which reopens after a hiatus of several years. A modern fitness club operated by Orange Fitness (410 sqm) will open in the first quarter of 2022 and the newonce.media Group will move to its new home in the Verit building. A SuperPharm drugstore and pharmacy and a dental centre of the Medicover Stomatologia chain will be available at Żelazna Street.
The office space of the Norblin Factory is home, among others, to Allegro (24,000 sqm), the Global Business Services Centre of Japan Tobacco International (8,500 sqm), the Scandinavian financial service provider SEB Bank (3,300 sqm), and the facility management service provider ISS World Service Poland (4,000 sqm), Mount TFI – (375 sqm), City Office – (almost 380 sqm).
A second original coworking zone of the Capital Park Group, Bee Creative, will open in the Plater building in the second quarter of 2022. A space of 1,000 sqm will offer open workstations, office rooms and conference rooms.
