The revitalized market hall on Magdzińskiego Street is expected to be opened in the third quarter of this year. The new surroundings of the historic building will include space for restaurants, cafes, bars, a market with locally produced food, open-air cinema, stage, and commercial and service premises.
The operator of the iconic hall in Bydgoszcz was selected through a tender process in 2020. Prior to that, residents, in social consultations, chose the functionalities of the facility – or rather, the institution, as its future activities appear. Fulfilling the expectations of Bydgoszcz residents was one of the most important factors, apart from the service price, in the tender specifications. The building permit was handed over to the investor at the end of October 2021, as informed by Patryk Maćkowiak, representative of Hala Targowa, the building operator. The formalities took so long, among other things, due to the recommendations of the conservator of monuments.
Mezzanine with cafes
The facade of the hall is in good condition. There is no wonder, as the city, which took over the hall from the Bydgoszcz Cooperative Society in 2016, renovated the building on the outside in 2020. In addition to the walls, the roof was also repaired. Inside, the facility was also being dried.
The most important task to be performed inside is the construction of a mezzanine, thanks to which the overall area of the hall will increase from 2000 to 2400 sqm. The mezzanine will accommodate cafes, delicatessen points, and a dining room. And what else? The historic building will devote a lot of space to gastronomy. There are plans for 12 restaurants, the mentioned two cafes on the mezzanine, a craft brewery and a beer bar, as well as a cocktail bar with the largest display shelf in Poland.
Focus on manufacturing
According to the investor’s concept, trade at Magdzińskiego Street is to be based on artisanal products and craftsmanship. Stalls with manufacturers will be welcomed, such as chocolate, gingerbread, cheese-making, a wine shop, so-called “village” cold cuts, etc. The market is expected to gather sellers of organic bread, fruits, and vegetables.
The offer of the hall will not revolve solely around consumption. The following will also be located here: open-air cinema, small stage, training center, co-working area, and (although this is uncertain) a media library.
In the Hala Targowa, which is planned to be opened in the third quarter of 2022, there will be prepared 250 seating places for guests. The same number will be available outside, where there will eventually be summer gardens, a mini beach, and a stage.
References to the history of Bydgoszcz
The designers did not forget to make the interior design refer to the identity and history of Bydgoszcz. Therefore, we will find elements such as:
– a rooster, one of the hall’s trademarks and also a symbol of the voivodeship, recalling the Bydgoszcz legend of Mr. Twardowski;
– a structure resembling granaries on Grodzka Street, suspended above the consumption area;
– signs with the Bydgoszcz dialect;
– signposts commemorating street names associated in the past with industry, e.g. Grunwaldzka 32 – C. Fiebrandt’s Railway Signals Factory, Dworcowa 110 – Adam’s Cigar Factory).
The New Hall in numbers:
– area of the building’s usable space – 1908 sqm;
– additional mezzanine space – 400 sqm;
– total number of seats for guests – 500;
– cost of renovation commissioned by the city – PLN 3.2 million.
History of the facility
The Municipal Market Hall in Bydgoszcz was built in 1904-1906 on the site of the demolished old evangelical church and part of the property of the rentier Albert Wiese. The building was designed by the Boswau & Knauer GmbH company from Berlin. All construction and finishing works were carried out by local companies and craftsmen. The opening took place on Friday, July 20, 1906. The Bydgoszcz hall differed from others in that it allowed the sale of only meat, including fish and seafood. In the years 1924-1939, it was administered by the Municipal Slaughterhouse Directorate, with 66 abattoirs and 14 stalls with fish basins, and poultry and dairy in the basement. After the war, the facility was taken over by the Bydgoszcz Cooperative Society, and in 2016, by the city.
