Urban fairytale in the making
Ulica Zabkowska in Praga's Polnoc district, notoriously one of the most rundown, crime-ridden streets in the capital, could one day become Warsaw's Cinderella story.
"The district is going to change the look of that street, which is perceived as one of the worst in Warsaw," said district spokesman Bartosz Klimaszewski.
Zabkowska is one of the few avenues that still has the look and feel of pre-war Warsaw. The street is also close to the Rozyckiego market, which was set up by pharmacist Julian Rozycki 100 years ago. During the communist era the market was the only sign of capitalism in Warsaw. Unfortunately, Zabkowska's cluster of historic buildings, most of which were around at the turn of the 20th century, are prey to a large number of hoodlums and drunks, who tend to loiter in their doorways.
But things are starting to change. Last month saw the beginning of a zl. 7 million ($1.62 million) renovation of the street's surface a must as traffic on the narrow, cobblestoned road has been increasing for years.
Still, many people protested against the project.
"I don't want to comment on supporters of the historical stone pavement," Klimaszewski said. "They protested because they never drive on Zabkowska." He added that residents asked for the road works because the street's poor surface had become dangerous. "Besides, everything will remain as is," he said. "All of the historical stones will be collected and relaid on Zabkowska from Targowa (street) to Brzeska (street) as a 'witness to its history.' "
But for Aniela Piekarska, a pensioner and Zabkowska resident, pavement quality is not the biggest problem.
"They should close all these drinking places because it is not possible to go out of the front door of my building," she said. "And I can't sleep because they (drunks) hang out under my window all night."
At the same time, Piekarska said the street's cobblestones weren't helping relieve her insomnia. "Because of the stones, the trucks driving on Zabkowska make so much noise that the glass shakes in my window frames," she said.
For about 50 years, trams ran along the street to a nearby depot, but since 1968 Zabkowska has seen only old-fashioned tourist versions in the summertime.
Piekarska said that the years' worth of trucks and trams rumbling past her pre-war apartment caused her balcony to gradually disintegrate and one day fall to the pavement below. "The entire balcony fell from the fourth floor and a young mother with her child were very close to death," she said.
She also complained that she has to pay administration fees of more than zl. 400 a month, yet the condition and look of her building are horrible. "I had guests from England recently and I was really ashamed because of the dirty staircase," she said.
But while most of the apartment buildings on Zabkowska are rundown pre-war relics, there are a few exceptions, such as Gmina Centrum's luxury apartments. The first 144 have been inhabited for two years, and the next batch of 200 have just had their technical inspection. New residents will be moving in within months.
"It certainly won't be the same street in the future," said Zdzislaw Gogacz, the owner of a grocery shop on Zabkowska. "There won't be that certain atmosphere here, but there will be a different environment." He added that Zabkowska is not as bad as people say, and its nefarious reputation is mostly due to hooligans from worse streets, such as Stalowa, who migrate to Zabkowska for their own purposes. "Thanks to these new buildings, there are fewer nooks and crannies for the dangerous elements of society," Gogacz said.
