First step in Kraków's New City

Galeria Krakowska, a new shopping mall that is the first stage in the ambitious Nowe Miasto urban project in Kraków, recently opened its doors.

That new development, with space of 123,000 sqm that includes 60,000 sqm of leasable space, will offer more than 270 outlets to its customers.

The newly opened center has two roof-covered shopping malls and three plazas that represent themes that are characteristic of Kraków. The center will have a number of international and Polish chains, as well as a slew of local Kraków-based stores, including Yoshe, Zebra, Aggi, Greenpoint and ice-cream parlour Wenzl.

Galeria Krakowska, as a part of the Nowe Miasto project, will be surrounded by hotels, apartments and over 25,000 sqm of office space that will complete the development. The entire scheme should be finished in the next five years.

In addition, a four-star hotel with 150 rooms will soon be opened close to the shopping center. The investment volume of both buildings amounts in the first phase to around EUR 250 (zł.993) million.

Thanks to its connection with Kraków's central railway station, shoppers in Galeria Krakowska will have direct access to the railway platforms so the new development will actually become the new entrance hall for the Kraków train station.

 "Most of the travellers will pass through the gallery on their way to catch trains, and I am sure the passengers will admire the hall," said Jan Dębski, general manager at ECE Polska.

According to the investors, some 100,000 people pass the area near Galeria Krakowska on a daily basis. The project partners for the construction are ECE Projektmanagement and HGA Capital, a member of the HSH Nordbank Group.