Skarżysko-Kamienna. The former school of the ammunition factory can be demolished. The conservator wants to protect her

The Poviat Eldership is considering demolishing the former mechanical gymnasium at the State Ammunition Factory in Skarżysko-Kamienna (Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship). The voivodship conservator of monuments does not want to agree, although the building is not formally under any protection for now.

101 years ago, a state ammunition factory was opened in Skarżysko-Kamienna. It was one of the first label of this type in a country that has just returned to the map of Europe after 123 years of partitions. Military plants grew up in the interwar period in various parts of the Second Polish Republic. PFA turned into a mesko – plant that is part of the Polish Armaments Group, which is today a producer of artillery, tank, mortar and navy blue ammunition.

Opposite the headquarters of Mesko at Legionów Street in Skarżysko, the Complex of Transport and Mechatronic Schools is located. Next to it scared the ruined building of the former Junior High School of the State Ammunition Factory, erected shortly before the beginning of World War II as part of the Central Industrial District. Józef Piłsudski was chosen as the patron.

Now the representative front of the junior high school can be demolished. Reason? Improving safety, even at the price of losing a valuable example of modernist architecture.

Eldership: Renovation would be too expensive

According to TVN24.pl, Jolanta Jagiełło, spokeswoman for the Poviat Eldership in Skarżysko-Kamienna, a ruined school threatens the safety of people in the area. “A possible accident, caused even by youthful irresponsibility, would be as irreversible as the decision to demolish the building” – explains Jagiełło.

Although it seems that the door handle was made – according to a spokeswoman, the poviat authorities have already decided to demolish – after opposition of history lovers, the possibility of renovation is being considered. The eldership, which is the owner of the building, wants the city authorities to add to the expensive investment. The whole can cost up to four or millions of zlotys. Jolanta Jagiełło explains that it is too much for the poviat authorities. For comparison, the cost of demolition is estimated at around PLN 300,000.

A former junior high school at the ammunition factory

Let's take a closer look at the building at Legions 119 in Skarżysko – and in what state it is. It was one of the two junior high schools of this type according to the design of the Warsaw architect Roman Kalinowski, which was built in the interwar period. An identical school was erected at the Ammunition Factory No. 2 in Dąbrowa-Gór (today it is part of Kraśnik).

The reason for the construction of such schools was simple: there was a lack of experienced staff in cities in the created Central Industrial District. Workers and masters were imported from all over the country, but also planned to train new on site, in specialized vocational schools, which were organized with the participation of factory owners.

The gymnasium consists of two parts: more representative, two -storey and raised on the basis of a square and from workshop halls hidden from the back. A characteristic element of the “practical” part is the seal – reminiscent of kicked triangles – a roof with recessing glass. The demolition plans relate to this representative part. The halls would stay in place. In the future, they would probably serve educational goals.

The building, in which didactic classes were conducted, housed, among others Two lecture rooms, a common room, a library and other necessary rooms. In the longitudinal and one -piece working part, he was, among others Mechanical workshop, forge or welding.

Dr Marcin Furtak in his book about architecture and urban planning of the Central Industrial District writes that the representative part of the junior high school was conceived as “a conglomerate of two penetrating lumps”. In the lower one there is an entrance that was distinguished by two flat pillars. Today, the front threatens with shabby doors and a sprayed stairs.

According to the eldership, the interior of the building is “impossible to save”. Renovation would be associated with the need to complete the interior reconstruction, full replacement of the door joinery, windows and damaged glazing, and it is possible that also ceilings and partitions. “Therefore 'originality” of the building would be limited to his facade, “Jolanta Jagiełło said in response to our questions.

The conservator “hurts the heart”. Announces the fight for the building

Importantly, although the junior high school is commonly talked about as “historic”, the building is not legally protected in any way. We will not find it in the municipal or voivodship records or the register of monuments, it is not covered by the monument care program. And it is deteriorating – according to the eldership – since the 1990s. The current condition of the building is therefore the result of at least three decades of neglect.

Krzysztof Myśliński, the Świętokrzyskie Provincial Conservator of Monuments, does not hide the dissatisfaction with the plans of the eldership. – My heart hurts when I look like an organ that should put the public interest in the first place, has been looking at this decaying building for years. He was brought to this state for years of neglect. It is not even fenced off – the head of the conservation office is nervous.

The Świętokrzyski conservator of monuments in an interview with tvn24.pl announced that the procedure will be launched in the near future to cover the building with protection, for example by entry in the register or voivodship register of monuments.

Recall: according to the eldership, the building cannot be saved, and its technical condition is terrible. The poviat authorities refer to, among others for a technical expertise. – We got a bizarre technical expertise from the eldership, having two sides and stating that the building is one hundred percent ruined. This confirmed me in the belief that the eldership does not want to look after this building – the head of the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments told us.

– We do not care about this interwar architecture, which may not be world -class, but it is a symbol of how Poland rebuilt after 123 years of partitions – noted Krzysztof Myśliński.

What next? Jolanta Jagiełło from the eldership explains that the final decisions depend on the verdict of the provincial conservator of monuments, the possibility of obtaining funds for renovation and willingness to cooperate from the city.

Next to the former junior high school – at the Transport and Metochatronic School Complex – an industry skill center (BCU) is being created. The ZST-M rooms are to be adapted for the needs of the center, which would work in parallel with the school. In addition, it was planned – including In the representative building of the Old Junior High School – construction of a parking lot under the open sky for 56 places. “Only 6 parking spaces were planned on the surface of the building in question (…)

However, the protection of the former gymnasium of the State Ammunition Factory against demolition is only the first step. The question remains what functions this building could perform after revitalization.

According to Piotr Mańkowski, a history lover, the Museum of the Central Industrial District in Skarżysko-Kamienna could be created there. As Gazeta Wyborcza writes, which was the first to inform about the plans to demolish the school, Mańkowski sent a petition to the previous provincial monument conservator Joanna Modras. She pointed to the poor condition of the building, but at the same time talked about “the lack of reliable technical expertise.” The former head of the Monument Protection Office, however, also addressed the eldership – writes “GW” – emphasizing that the demolition “is not justified in relation to the social interest related to the protection of monuments.”