The building of the Marshal’s Office in Augustyńskiego Street will be revitalised
The revitalisation of the building at 2 Augustyńskiego Street will commence any day now. It involves primarily repairing and restoring the original appearance of the facade made of face brick. The renovation also includes the reconstruction of two historical towers, which were destroyed during World War II. Currently, the Pomeranian Marshal’s Office is located here. NDI, which has won the tender for this investment, has already taken over the construction site.
As a part of the investment, NDI will renovate the facade – this applies to all available external walls of the building. It involves, i.a. strengthening of the structure, cleaning and repair as well as maintenance. It will be also necessary to reconstruct part of the original copings and avant-corps and carry out minor repairs of the roofing, flashing above and below the gutter, gutters and downspouts. The corner towers will also be rebuilt – they will be made on the basis of available iconographic materials. Tower No. 1 is at the corner of Rzeźnicka and Augustyńskiego Streets, and tower No. 2 is at the corner of Augustyńskiego and Żabi Kruk Streets. In addition, two portal turrets should be made, which will decorate the entrance from Augustowskiego Street. They will be placed on the existing pilasters of the portal. Their shape is octagonal in the plan – on a circle with a radius of 62 cm, the height of the brick part is 188 cm. They will be covered with tented roof.
The plan also provides for the construction of the inner yard surface with the reconstruction of the underground networks of surface water drainage, and the construction of bicycle and garbage sheds. The building’s facade will be illuminated. NDI has already taken over the construction site and will start the work within several days at the latest. The work will take up to 12 months. Its budget is amounted to PLN 6,574 million.
Historical outline:
The building located at 2 Augustyńskiego Street was built in stages in the years 1859-1867 to the 1890s and was at that time the largest barracks complex in Gdańsk. It was constructed by a builder from the Netherlands, Adam Wiebe, whom it owes its name Koszary Wiebego (Wiebe’s Barracks). They were destroyed during World War II. In the years 1945-1950 they were rebuilt, but the corner towers visible in historical photographs from Augustyńskiego Street have not been reconstructed. According to specialists, this spoils the overall architectural composition of this building. The restoration of the towers is to emphasise the character of the building, its historical, military, massive, and dignified appearance.
Originally, the building was built as a traditional, u-shaped brick structure, which was located between the frontages of current Rzeźnicka, Żabi Kruk and Augustyńskiego Streets. From the side of Toruńska Street, the courtyard was closed by a wall. The building was a compact structure.
Today, the area is a part of a completely built-up quarter consisting of public buildings surrounding the inner courtyard. Two entrances lead to the courtyard – from Żabi Kruk and Rzeźnicka Streets. The former, historic entrance through the gate from the side of Augustyńskiego Street was replaced by the main entrance with stairs leading to the elevated ground floor.
