In the heart of the project a vibrant...
The project
A new hub of urban life will be created in the near future in district 9, opposite MÜPA (Palace of Arts) and Nemzeti Színház (National Theatre), at 58 Soroksári út in Budapest, Hungary.
The area of the former Közvágóhíd (Public Slaughterhouse) built in 1872 was abandoned for years and the condition of the buildings significantly deteriorated.
By the acquisition of the site APD Real Estate Kft. is determined to renovate the unique historical elements (Bulls Gate, Water Tower, Ballroom) and create a new and lively city center around them.
The design works of the project has been conducted, supervised and concluded by involvement of experienced and well known Hungarian, British and Turkish architects. The main concept has been initiated by internationally famous and well known international architectural firm Chapman Taylor Architects to have a perfect and vibrant design and approach and further worked on by Banati&Hartvig Architects as one of the best Hungarian architectural companies and SN Architects, a dynamic Turkish design company.
The developer
The project will be developed by APD Real Estate Kft, an international development company, specialized in commercial and residential developments. APD Real Estate Kft. is a development company focusing on large scale real estate projects. The team of APD Real Estate Kft has a high level of experience in developing such mixed-use projects.
APD Real Estate Kft. believes in the values of sustainability, continuous evolution and cooperation to enhance the quality of the products provided through its projects.
Demolition phase started in August 2019
One of the major urban revitalisation projects in Budapest commences soon in district 9, on the site of Közvágóhíd that was abandoned for many years. The developer, APD Real Estate Kft. started demolition in accordance with all the regulations and will create a new city center in several phases. The buildings under local protection (i.e. the water tower, the two bull sculptures at the main gate and the so-called Ball room or North pavilion building next to the main gate) will be conserved during demolition works. In order the conserve the current condition of these architectural cultural values, their adjacent structures will be demolished manually. The two main slaughterhouse buildings are in poor condition, but their facades have been fully documented and they will be rebuilt in their original form.
During the demolition phase all precautions will be taken to prevent any inconvenience for residents living nearby or any disruption in traffic. Outer walls and buildings (parallel with Máriássy utca, Soroksári út and Vágóhíd utca) will be demolished at the last stage of the demolition works to prevent the dust and noise pollution of the neighborhood as much as possible. Next to that, in order to avoid the dust pollution, water spraying will be used. There will be on-site noise level measurements during the noisy activities on a daily basis.
Regarding the working hours, all noisy works will happen between 8 am and 5 pm from Monday to Saturday only, according to relevant regulations – there will be no noisy activity in the evening, at night or on Sundays.
The asbestos contained materials, communal waste and some other hazardous materials were already removed during the first quarter of 2019 from the buildings, carried out by specialists and expert companies. Any other detected and remaining hazardous materials (supramit, tar, asbestos) will be separated, stored in closed containers and transported by certified and closed trucks to the licensed disposal areas.
The demolition works started in the mid of August 2019 and are expected to finish in December 2019.
FAQ
Introduction of the project and developer
What are the main features of this project?
A new hub of urban life will be created in the near future in district 9, opposite MÜPA (Palace of Arts) and Nemzeti Színház (National Theatre), at 58 Soroksári út in Budapest, Hungary.
The reviving city center will comprise of modern and well designed residential units, class A+ office blocks, 4* Business Hotel and a very attractive central area with retail units around the ’Piazza’.
This unique mixed-use project will be developed surrounded by splendid landscaped gardens, playgrounds and community areas for the residents and an elegant passage and piazza for the retail customers and office employees. There will be a wide range of apartment types from cosy studios to spacious suites.
In the heart of the project the developer creates a vibrant two-level Piazza and a splendid passage connecting the restored main gate with the renovated water tower building, including a 4-star hotel, fancy restaurants, bars and stylish shops and the residential towers on both sides.
In the final phase of the project the office park will be developed connected to the piazza and the passage, offering state of the art technology, roof terraces as well as green and flexible office solutions.
Who is the developer of this project?
The project will be developed by APD Real Estate Kft, an international development company, specialized in commercial and residential developments.
The team of APD Real Estate Kft. has a high level of experience in developing such mixed-use projects
APD Real Estate Kft. believes in the values of sustainability, continuous evolution and cooperation to enhance the quality of the products provided through its projects.
Asbestos removal
When did you remove the asbestos contained materials from site?
Removal of asbestos contained materials started at the end of January 2019 and finished at the end of March 2019.
Which technique you / your contractor used to remove all the asbestos contained materials safely? What guaranteed that no asbestos fibers did not pollute the air during the process?
Removal, handling and disposal procedures of asbestos contained materials were conducted along strict safety regulations including insulation techniques in order to prevent any contamination including asbestos fibers. APD Real Estate Kft. also applied additional safety measures beyond those specified by relevant Hungarian regulations, i.e. air quality was checked daily by an independent, accredited company (APAVE) and another independent, accredited company (Wessling) checked air quality (every Monday, Wednesday and Friday).
Exact asbestos removal, handling and disposal protocol was laid down in the subcontractors’ (Bello Breaking Kft. and Saubermacher Kft.) working conditions and health safety plan which was submitted by the company to the relevant authority and was granted approval.
Which buildings were concerned?
Almost all buildings contained asbestos to a small or large amount – approx. 210.000 kg were removed from the development site altogether thus another large area was cleared from the dangerous substance.
Removal, handling and disposal procedures of material/ building parts containing asbestos were conducted along strict safety regulations including insulation techniques in order to prevent any contamination including asbestos dust. APD also applied additional safety measures beyond those specified by relevant Hungarian regulations, i.e. air quality was checked daily by an independent, accredited company (APAVE) and another independent, accredited company (Wessling) also checked air quality regularly (every Monday, Wednesday and Friday).
Were you aware of all locations in the buildings where asbestos contained materials are?
APD Real Estate Kft. was aware of the concerned areas, based on the study by an independent and accredited testing laboratory (Kör-Ker Kft.).
Asbestos removal works (Bello Breaking Kft.) were continuously supervised and controlled on site by independent laboratories (Wessling, APAVE), which tested samples along the process.
When asbestos contained materials were detected in building parts not specified by the preliminary study or any pollution occured, all works were suspended and resumed only after the safe removal of asbestos contained materials, along strict protocols. Air quality was monitored by two independent companies daily and three times a week respectively (APAVE, Wessling).
As the entire development, asbestos removal works were overseen by APD Real Estate Kft.’s project manager and technical supervisor.
Do you expect some more hazardous waste during or before the demolition works – what is the exact protocol to avoid environmental hazards?
Hazardous heat insulation materials (Supramit) and asbestos contained underground concrete pipes detected on site. As it has been done previously same strict safety process shall take in place. After removal of these hazardous waste from site, demolition works shall commence at that locations. Related authorities shall be informed in written (Method statements shall be submitted) before starting the removal of hazardous material works on site.
Where, when and how did you transport and then store removed asbestos contained materials?
Asbestos contained materials were immediately put in protected, covered steel containers and taken away shortly. Along relevant regulations and permits, material containing asbestos transported from site to a licensed and accredited waste disposal site (by Saubermacher Magyarország Kft.) by certified and closed trucks.
Who was your subcontractor, who executed asbestos removal?
- Bello Breaking Kft. was the main contractor
- Bello Breaking Kft. prepared a detailed working conditions and health safety plan and was conducting asbestos removal with 7 – 12 employees.
- Saubermacher Magyarország Kft. and APAVE Magyarország Kft. (environment protection laboratory) were subcontractors of Bello-breaking Kft.
- Saubermacher Magyarország Kft. was responsible for the transportation and neutralization of asbestos contained materials.
- APAVE Magyarország Kft. (Subcontractor of Bello Breaking Kft.) checked the air quality on a daily basis (before, during and after asbestos removal).
- Wessling was a subcontractor of APD Real Estate Kft. and measured air quality at the site as a third party (control measurement).
Who supervised and monitored that the process proceeded safely?
Asbestos removal (Bello Breaking) works were continuously supervised and controlled on site by independent laboratories (Wessling, APAVE), which tested samples along the process. When asbestos contained materials were detected in building parts not specified by the preliminary study or any pollution occurs, demolition will be suspended and will resume only after the safe removal of contaminated materials, along strict protocols. Air quality monitored by two independent companies daily and three times a week respectively (APAVE, Wessling).
Which authorities are involved in/ are in charge of asbestos removal?
Public health and safety authority, regional environmental authority and 9. District municipality involved in the process of asbestos removal works.
Demolition of buildings
How long will this phase last? What are the stages of this process?
We are planning to finish the demolition works in this year (2019).
Demolition works will be done in 4 stages – communal waste has been already removed from each building. Fencing will be done parallel with the demolition of outer walls and buildings. All metals and cables will be separated from debris by machinery during the demolition works. Metals, cables and normal debris will be transported from site by different trucks.
When do you start the demolition of buildings?
Demolition started on 13 August 2019.
How are you going to schedule the transportation of debris?
Metals and cables will be separated from normal debris. Both will be transported from the development site by trucks.
How much debris are we talking about?
Buildings will be demolished on approx. 34 600 square meters
Which company is responsible for the demolition?
AN Limited Kft. is the responsible company for the demolition works
How do you plan to protect the surroundings from demolition noise and pollution? Which tools will you use to avoid spread of dust in the neighborhood?
We will keep the surrounding walls and buildings until the end of first 3 stages for demolition works. At the last stage (4 th stage) we will demolish the surrounding walls and buildings which are at the border line of the plot. Parallel to the demolition of surrounding walls and buildings, we will install 2.5 m high temporary fence around the plot – box profile frame (metal frame) covered with + OSB (Wood) or Metal Sheets. We are planning to spray water during the demolition works to avoid the dust. As for working hours, all demolition and transportation will happen between 8 am 5 pm from Monday to Saturday only, according to relevant regulations – there will be no noisy activity in the evening, at night or on Sundays.
Handling the area under cultural heritage protection
How do you ensure to save buildings which are under cultural heritage protection?/ Which buildings will be protected fully/ partly?
All structures to be preserved will be protected with fencing or barriers and covering during demolition and other works.
As stated in the demolition permit, the water tower, the bull sculptures at the main gate as well as the ball room (pavilion building) building will be fully preserved (facades and structures). The wings of the water tower will be demolished and fully rebuilt. The large slaughter halls will also be pulled down, reconstruction here concerns the 4 North & South facades only, which means that the building will be redesigned inside.
How do they integrate them in the development?
Until the end of the construction works, the old ballroom building (Pavilion building) will be used as a sales office of APD Real Estate Kft. Later it will be turned into a retail space as well as the water tower – café, shop, restaurant, etc. The bull sculptures will be renovated and remain at the main gate. The latter will function as the main entrance to the development.
Are you going to keep the façades only or the protected buildings behind them as well?
The protected buildings will be fully preserved along relevant regulations – structural parts will be kept as well. And though the large slaughterhouse + the wings of the water tower are not protected by heritage regulations at all, APD Real Estate Kft. will rebuild them in order to preserve as many the characteristics of the old Vágóhíd building complex as possible.
See further details above.
Construction work – preliminary questions/ basics
When does the construction work start?
The building permit was obtained in July 2019. Construction works are expected to start in the first quarter of 2020.
In how many phases will the development be realized?
The development has 4 phases altogether: 1st and 2nd are residential development, 3rd phase is residential, retail and hotel, the 4th phase concerns retail and office spaces.
Do you plan to build the permitted maximum of 45-meter-high buildings on the site? If not, what will be the highest point of the development?
According to the laws and regulations, building height will be max. 45 m.
Do you plan the additional traffic load around your plot?
In order to cause the least problems possible and minimize traffic load, we have prepared and got approvals from related authorities about the detailed traffic circulation plan surrounding our plot.