Hilton hiatus

However, Mirosław Średziński from Budimex Dromex takes a different view: "Winter has nothing to do with this. Now finishing works are under way. The investor itself is responsible for furnishing the building. I cannot speak on behalf of the investor."

Hilton Hotel is a 94-meter high, 26-storey structure in Warsaw's Wola district, on ul. Grzybowska. The hotel makes up only a part of the larger building and, with 315 hotel rooms, it is in fact smaller than the Westin Hotel. However, the project will house the biggest business center in the capital city, with a 1,500-sqm conference and ball room that will accommodate 1,300 guests at a time. Apart from that, two storeys of 4,000 sqm will be occupied by the Holmes Place fitness center. The recreation area will also have a 25-meter swimming pool.

Construction of the 47,300- sqm building housing the Hilton Hotel is just the first stage of a bigger architectural project called Centrum Grzybowska located on a plot of almost two hectares. Ultimately four skyscrapers will be raised on the plot, all of which will be linked by a three-storey underground car-park.

The Grzybowska project was designed by Biuro Projektów Kazimierski i Ryba. Two of the three buildings will house apartments. HGC has not yet taken the final decision on the function of the third building. Initially it was meant to be an office development, but due to the boom on the residential market the investor could change its mind. Andrzej Ryba from Biuro Projektów Kazimierski i Ryba is particularly happy that HGC has agreed to provide more space for the project. As a result, the four buildings will surround a central open square.

While the Hilton cost an estimated EUR 50 (zł.195.5) million, the whole Grzybowska project could cost EUR 150 (zł.586.6) million, according to Dawid Zach, who expects Grzybowska Center to be ready by the end of 2008. Zach revealed that HGC plans further investments in Warsaw. They still own plots in the districts of Wola and Żoliborz.