Gentrification in Photos

The white building on Okrzei Street is a new "investment" of luxury housing. Before this, there were some buildings in the courtyard and a struggle to get rid of the tenants. One day, there was a mysterious fire in the roof and the tenants were moved "for their own safety". The old houses were destroyed to make way for an expensive development project.

Like many luxury "investments", these flats can stay empty for a long time. Often, it's not that there are no buyers - it is just that buyers are often special investment vehicles set up by banks. The banks create investment funds for property speculators, buy up flats and wait to tell them at large profits. Some flats are also bought by individual speculators, often from countries like Spain or Ireland.

 

The first yuppy artist shop on Wilenska St. Overpriced and hideous designer creations. Cheapest things are the $50 T-shirts. 

  

Free copies of "Real City" with real estate offers are all over. 

More photos

The building in which this theatre is based was reprivatized, leading to protests. Unfortunately one of the problems with some neighbourhood reprivatizations is that the Jewish community leads the cases. In such situations, anti-semitism sometimes raises its ugly head. 

Praying hasn't done much good.

Some Photos

This monument to the Soviet Army will probably be moved. Some want to get rid of it altogether.

 

Remains of the Pianist

One day, while delivering leaflets in Praga, I noticed something strange in one of the courtyards. There I found props from the film "The Pianist", which was shot nearby. Apparently the people now use the "buildings" as sheds. The gate for the border to the ghetto currently serves for makeshift football games.