Lublin under construction

We decided to take a look at large non-commercial investments in Lublin, that are currently in the process of implementation, and which we consider as the most important in the perspective of the city’s development as they affect the economy and provide an impulse for further changes.

Metropolitan Station

Transportation is a major contributor to the economy and a competitive force in business. Very often good connectivity determines the decision on locating the business in a given place, therefore the construction of the Integrated Metropolitan Station along with the reconstruction of the transportation system in its area is currently the most significant investment in Lublin. Its appearance will not only improve the comfort of living of the residents of our region but also will work as an attractive showcase of the city. The project is co-financed by the European Union under the Regional Operational Programme for the Lubelskie Voivodeship for 2014-2020, and its total value is approximately PLN 300 million, of which over PLN 173 million is co-funded by the EU.

The facility located between Młyńska, Gazowa, and Dworcowa Streets will become the region’s communication centre and the total area of ​​the three-storey building, will measure 18,000 sqm. Under the station building there will be also underground parking for 174 cars of about 7,500 sqm.

The project fits in with the pro-ecological policy. Energy for heating the building will be provided by geothermal heat pumps and the roofs over the bus stands will be covered with photovoltaic panels, the efficiency of which will allow the building to be completely energy self-sufficient. Another environmentally-friendly solution is the use of anti-smog paving stones. The roof of the facility will be greened, with a focus on plant species that are particularly efficient at purifying the air. A special rainwater recycling system will provide water for watering the plants and for sanitary purposes.

In addition to the construction of the facility, the project includes the revitalization of the railway station areas and the creation of a new urban space friendly to travelers and residents. The appearance of the Railway Square will change just like the outlook of the nearby streets and road layout around the station – the new one will be modernized and should improve traffic. The station will serve public, suburban, and long-distance buses. Internal access roads, parking stands, squares, pavements ,and green areas will also be provided. The station will feature 43 departure platforms for inter-city communication. The total area of maneuvering yards and platforms will exceed 19,000 sqm. In addition, the contract provides for the installation and implementation of smart transport systems, in particular using information and communication technologies, combined with a complete passenger service, passenger and stop information systems. As part of the investment, street lighting, trolley bus traction, stormwater drainage, and technological channels will also be reconstructed.

Over 200 workers work every day on an area of ​​approximately four hectares. The effects of their work are already visible. More and more elements of the future Metropolitan Station are starting to appear. You can already see fragments of walls and steel structures of bus shelters.

The Independent Clinical Hospital No. 1 (SPSK 1) in Lublin

The satisfying living conditions help to build a positive image of the city, thus evoking satisfaction and pride in its inhabitants. It is influenced by various factors, among others, the fundamental one is access to high-quality medical services.

Considering the above another important for local community investment is redevelopment and expansion of the Independent Clinical Hospital No. 1 in Lublin as maximizing the infrastructural potential of SPSK 1 will allow for wider use of modern diagnostic and therapeutic methods.

The investment programme, the total value of which is 314 million PLN, began in 2016 with the construction of the Department of Radiotherapy that was officially opened in September 2019. Sequentially the second stage of the investment regarded the creation of the Mental Health Centre, as well as modernization of the already existing buildings.

Currently, the third stage of the project – a complex of buildings at Staszica 16 Street is underway. The construction works have come to an end, though the first admissions of patients are planned for the beginning of 2023 as the hospital still has to be equipped with medical apparatus and equipment.

The 8-storey building has 15,000 sqm of usable space. The building will be functionally divided into two main parts: a so-called  ‘Lower terrace’, where there will be an operating block with eight operating rooms, a hospital emergency department, as well as intensive care unit, and  an “Upper terrace” where the impatient wards, imaging diagnostics, laboratories, and a blood bank will be located. Above the top floor, there will be also a helicopter pad.

The implementation of this project will markedly improve educational conditions. It will also enhance the quality of health care services by increasing access to medical care for the population of the region.

Lublin Football Academy

What is essential in determining the general wellbeing and comfort of living in the city is a rich sport and cultural offer. The availability and use of sports infrastructure are crucial in supporting the health and wellness of the local community.

In Lublin, a project that will enrich Lublin sports infrastructure has been carried out, namely Lublin Football Academy, which will not only provide an exciting environment to nurture the best footballing talent from our region but also allow children and youth to flourish and develop their passions.

In January 2021, the Lublin authorities and representatives of the Lublin Football Academy signed an agreement to lease the city-owned area at Krochmalna Street where a complex of sports fields with modern training facilities will be built. The project involves the construction of seven football fields on the area of ​​11 hectares, including two with artificial turf and one covered full-sized synthetic pitch for all-weather use. The project plans also foresee the construction of the grandstand next to the main building, which will be able to accommodate 900 people.

A three-storey building will also house a sports hall, swimming pool, gym, physiotherapy, and biological regeneration rooms, catering facilities, conference rooms, and dormitory capable to accommodate about 100 students of the academy.

The Lublin Academy of Football is to serve, first of all, children and teenagers from Lublin and the region in order to develop their sports passions and talents, not only of a football nature but thanks to the sports hall that is also included in the construction plans, young adepts of various disciplines such as volleyball or handball will have a chance to practice their skills.

The investment schedule sets out that the first stage of the project will be completed by the end of June 2022. The first stage includes the construction of 4 football pitches equipped with drainage, irrigation, and sprinkler systems, fencing (plus surface heating systems for two of the pitches) as well as footpaths and roads. The second stage, in turn, involves the construction of the remaining 3 football pitches with accompanying infrastructure, a training facility with a sports hall and a technical building, as well as roads, car parks, and leisure areas.

Construction costs are estimated to exceed PLN 50 million.

UMCS West Campus

Undoubtedly human capital, to a large extent created by students, is Lublin’s great asset. Academics strengthen the economy of the city by providing an educated, skilled labour force, therefore the challenge posed by the city in its strategy is to attract and retain skilled graduates One of the initiatives that have been taken on this level is the construction of a modern West Campus implemented by Maria Curie-Sklodowska University (UMCS).

A two-year investment at Głęboka 44 Street included the construction of three interconnected buildings with a total area of ​​11,000 sqm – a six-storey Faculty of Political Science and Journalism (nearly 6.2 thousand sqm), a five-storey Institute of Psychology (over 3.7 thousand sqm). In the building, there is also a so-called ‘connecting area’ (three floors, 1,152.74 sqm) which includes common space, such as a library, a cloakroom, a bar, and technical rooms.

The new facility will enable students to enjoy comfortable learning conditions. Both facilities – in addition to modern auditoriums, lecture and seminar rooms – also have specialist rooms, thanks to which an even greater emphasis will be placed on the practical aspect of didactic classes. The rooms of research clubs, the seat of the Academic Legion, students’ own workrooms, and TV studios are available to them in the new seat of the Faculty of Political Science and Journalism, meanwhile, in the facility of the Institute of Psychology, there are, among others, a psychological tests studio or a room of the ‘Academic Support Centre.
Those architectonically interesting and modernly designed, well-equipped buildings are also accessible to people with disabilities providing them the comfort to work and study.

The total cost of the investment is PLN 83,958,186.36.

“The investment in the UMCS West Campus is extremely important both from the point of view of students who will receive modern spaces to learn, deepen their knowledge, nurture their passion, discover their possibilities and new paths, as well as employees who are provided with the right conditions for high-level research. These are buildings with modern architecture and equipment, meeting the standards of the 21st century “- says the UMCS rector, prof. Radosław Dobrowolski”.

The projects that so far have been implemented in Lublin transformed the city into a modern and appealing to live and work metropolis. Thanks to the policy of effective acquisition of European funds, significant changes have occurred in many areas, such as transport, road infrastructure, and culture.

We believe that the projects mentioned in the article will become an inseparable element of the city’s landscape and contribute to its development, showing it as a friendly and attractive place for investment.