Griffin spreads its wings

The new building, Griffin House, is on Plac Trzech Krzyży. At the end of 2005, the building's owners, Mazurska Development and UBM Polska, completed a general renovation, which gave the tenement its original look.

The building, whose name derives from the griffins found near the three domes, was designed in the 1880s. It was heavily damaged during the war in 1944. The house was reconstructed in 1946, but the historic style and look was not preserved.

In 2003 Mazurska Development and UBM Polska purchased Griffin from Paged Nieruchomości and decided to refresh the structure. Refurbishment works lasted from April 2005 and were conducted in consultation with the municipal conservator. The original form of the rafter framing, including three domes and all the decorative elements, was restored and so was the facade with wooden windows, whose shape is now identical to the historic design. The proprietors invested about EUR 4 (zł.15.5) million in the renovation.

Now, Griffin House meets all requirements for an A-class office building, and offers such facilities as raised floors, fiber-optic lines, structural cabling, security, and parking space. The building's space is 3,800 sqm, out of which 900 sqm on the first and half of the second floor is leased by the main tenant, Dresdner Bank, and 300 sqm is occupied by investment fund Superfund. The asking price per sqm is approximately EUR 23 (zł.88.80).

UBM Polska, which belongs to the international Porr group, plans further investment in historical buildings around the city. It is also working on a residential project, Green House, which is being developed in the Lesznowola gmina, near Warsaw.

Agnieszka Barteczko