Hotel Cinema Restaurants & Cafes Location The building The region Trade & Services Center Office Area Car-park & Car-wash Location The building The region Homepage Tenants section The region Katowice - the capital of the Silesian Voivodship is inhabited by 323 300 people. The city owes its growth to intense industrialisation processes based on coal mining and steel processing. Katowice was granted city status in 1865. It is currently being transformed into a major centre of financial investment, modern manufacturing and services. It is also increasingly recognised as a centre of science and research development, as well as the cultural capital of the region. The cityscape is changing at a fast pace. The road network is being extensively modernised and developed. Many new buildings and multi-purpose architectural complexes are being erected, which are commonly admired for their beauty and functionality. The economic growth of the city is accompanied by intense development in the areas of science and culture. Several colleges and university institutions, as well as tens of science and research institutes, are located in Katowice. The cultural significance of the city is marked by such renown institutions as the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Centre of Polish Stage Design, the Silesian Museum, the Katowice History Museum and the Silesian Library as well as the following annual events: the Rawa Blues Festival, the International Graphics Exhibition - "Intergrafia", the Grzegorz Fitelberg International Conductor Competition and the "Interpretacje" theatre festival. The municipal government pays special attention to the restoration and preservation of old tenement houses which, once brought back to their glory, lend much to the city's image. Katowice cooperates with many partner cities abroad, as well as various international organisations and institutions. Investors are needed for such construction projects as: building multi-storey car parks in the downtown area, residential buildings, leisure centres with indoor swimming pools, the main bus and coach station, as well as for the reconstruction of the main train station. The region is also perfect for small-scale, high-tech, industrial manufacturing as well as management of post-industrial areas. Why invest in Katowice? Katowice is the capital city of a voivodship inhabited by about 5 million people, and the biggest city located in the centre of a 3-million people conurbation; the city is a market of the biggest absorptive power in the region as far as consumption and investment goods and services; the city's fast-changing infrastructure allows easy access from all directions; new, modern roads improve accessibility, value and attractiveness of investment areas located near the city; An abundance of well-educated employees with strong work ethics; A high level of social and economic activity on the part of the residents makes Katowice a city with one of the lowest unemployment rates in Poland - 7.7%; the city has been awarded the Council of Europe Plaque and Flag of Honour. Fitch Ratings: international long-term foreign currency rating: "BBB+", international long-term local currency rating "A-" (single A minus), long-term rating outlook - stable; the most recent rating of Polish cities: "Rzeczpospolita" - first (highest) class as far as development potential, "Wspólnota" (in respective city categories) - first and second positions; the Katowice City Hall has received an international certificate assuring conformity with the implemented Quality Management System according to the ISO 9001:2000 standards. Infrastructure A well-developed and fast growing road network allowing easy access in and out of the city as well as good communication in the city centre (the A4 motorway, Drogowa Trasa ¦rednicowa, expressways). Katowice is also the most important railway junction in the region and has good train connections with other major Polish and European cities. Flying in and out of Katowice is not a problem, as it has its own airport - MPL "Katowice". Telecommunication infrastructure is also well developed. Modern sewage treatment plants and waste dumps. 41500 businesses. 30 banks (104 branch offices). 21 chambers of commerce. 30 hotels, hostels and inns. 18 university education institutions (about 80000students). 8 theatres, 5 cinemas and 3 museums. 133000 apartments. 51 post offices. 143800 registered cars. Green areas, forests, parks, gardens etc., constituting 57% of the total area of the city. © 2004 Altus.