Housing investments under Łódź center regeneration programs

Abstract

Urban regeneration of the inner city is an important instrument serving its vitality, counteracting depopulation of central areas and attracting new inhabitants. It also increases the attractiveness of a city as a whole. Revitalization of the city center also contributes to sustainable development by redevelopment of areas already used (brownfields) and preventing annexation of non-urbanized areas (greenfields). To attract new inhabitants to city center it is necessary to improve the quality of life, including the quality of housing conditions. To fulfill this aim, an integrated regeneration process should be implemented, combining spatial, social and economic goals. Łódź was one of the first cities in Poland which worked out the Local Revitalization Program (2004) and was thus able to gain EU funds for urban regeneration just from the start, after Polish accession to the EU. Two pilot areas were delimited in the city center. The projects planned and implemented in the southern pilot area were revitalization projects of the City Council (co-financed with EU funds) and investments of Widzew Housing Association and private developers. These projects included renovations, modernizations with adaptation for new functions, and construction of new apartment blocks with services. These developments positively transformed the spatial image of this area and the aesthetics and technical condition of buildings and their surroundings, as well as enriched the service and trade offer. They also contributed to gentrification of the area.