Warsaw looking for Hala Mirowska partner

As the city has revealed, a modern market hall is eventually to be built, combined with a community centre. The council has announced that it aims to restore the building’s tradition function of being a market hall for mainly fresh food delivered directly from producers, as well as providing space for the organisation of a variety of events. A commemoration to Feliks Stamm, the ‘father of Polish boxing’, who trained in the building, is also planned.

Warsaw’s authorities had previously been planning to sell the hall, with the sale to be carried out by the district of Śródmieście. However, the idea was criticised by the local media, among others, and last March the city gave up on the plan. In September Warsaw's European funds department selected Artinex (with a bid estimated at PLN 43,000) to be the contractor of a architectural and construction programme that is both functional and economical for the renovation and development of the Hala Gwardia building. So far the starting date of the renovations has not been announced and the building itself is being taken over by the Warsaw Property Authority.

The two halls were built at the turn of the 19th and 20th century and until 1944 had been the biggest shopping floor in the capital, for the sale of mainly meat, fish, bread and fresh vegetables. The buildings remained virtually intact during the siege of the city, but were seriously damaged in the Warsaw Uprising. The western hall was put into use in 1962 and has been a shopping centre ever since. The eastern hall, reconstructed in 1953, belonged to the Gwardia Militia Sports Club and was used for sporting events and shows. For the moment it continues to be leased to market traders.