Why an office in Kazimierz doesn't always suit IT
Many heads of Krakow software houses dream of an office near Plac Nowy, where coffee tastes better and an evening out with the team takes 30 seconds. To be honest, reality can be painful when you need to plug 47 workstations into an installation that remembers the rule of a completely different era. At Mondiairelay-suivi, we checked this on a living organism – the office must earn money, not generate downtime due to blown fuses.
Air conditioning vs. the heritage conservator
The main problem with townhouses in Kazimierz is temperature. In July 2024, we measured conditions in one such premises on Miodowa Street – the thermometer showed 31.2 degrees at a programmer's desk. Old walls, new rules: air conditioning cannot be installed everywhere because the heritage conservator guards the facade like the apple of their eye. If you don't get permission for an aggregate, your people will work in a sauna, which realistically cuts efficiency by 23% as early as 11:00 AM.
We often encounter a situation where the owner promises portable air conditioners. This is a short-term solution that hums, blows fuses, and requires a pipe sticking out of a tilted window. At Mondiairelay-suivi, we'll give it to you straight: if the building doesn't have central AC or clear permission for a split installation, the IT industry should look elsewhere. We saw 13 companies fleeing such locations after the first hot summer.
An office in a townhouse looks great on Instagram, but a software house needs stable temperature, not retro atmosphere at any cost.
Electricity that doesn't like servers
Most townhouses in Kazimierz were designed when the height of technology was a light bulb and a radio. When you plug in 32 monitors, two servers, and three coffee machines there, the grid starts to cry. In March last year, we helped a client who noted 11 micro-interruptions in power supply in a single week. For a developer working on critical code, this is a drama, and for equipment – a straight road to the service center. We count every meter, but we also count the kilowatts needed for work.
The lack of raised floors is another flashpoint. In Kazimierz, cables usually run in wall strips or – worse – under carpets. This looks poor and is impractical for any team reorganization. In modern office buildings in Zabłocie or near Armii Krajowej, floorboxes are standard every 2 meters. At Mondiairelay-suivi, we always check the power allocation before signing the contract, because an office must earn money, not stand in the dark.
Logistics and 27 minutes of looking for a space
Parking is the weakest link of Kazimierz. Your employees who commute from Wieliczka or Skawina will spend an average of 27 minutes looking for a free piece of asphalt in Zone C. The subscription cost for a company is high, and the space turnover is zero. If you plan to hire seniors for whom commuting convenience is key, a city center location might be a shot in the foot. At Mondiairelay-suivi, we do a simple test: we arrive at the building at 9:14 AM and check how many circles need to be made.
Zabłocie in this respect offers much more. The office buildings rising there have underground garages and better access to trams. Of course, the charm of Kazimierz is unquestionable, but when a client from Warsaw is 15 minutes late for a meeting because they got stuck on Dietla, the spell is broken. Sometimes we advise against Kazimierz for companies over 12 people precisely because of these logistical obstacle courses.
Why Zabłocie wins in Excel
When analyzing costs, Zabłocie often comes out cheaper, even though the buildings are newer. Why? Because the square footage is efficient. In a townhouse, you pay for huge corridors, stairwells, and walls 80 cm thick that you won't use for desks. In Zabłocie, open space is designed for a specific number of stations. In one of our recent comparisons, an IT company saved 3,800 PLN a month by moving from 200 m2 in a townhouse to 156 m2 in a modern office building, maintaining the same number of workplaces.
Additionally, modern buildings have better acoustic insulation. Work in IT requires focus, and the sounds of a tram on Krakowska or loud tourists under the window on Józefa can break the rhythm. In Zabłocie, you have silence, fiber optics from three independent providers, and power that doesn't disappear when the neighbor turns on a kettle. Mondiairelay-suivi always recommends this comparison before making a final decision.
In Zabłocie, you pay for space that works, not for thick walls and empty corridors of a townhouse.
How to make a decision in 2025?
If your company has 5-7 people and deals with creative work, Kazimierz might work. The soul of the place helps in brainstorming. However, at a scale above 15 people and hard coding, infrastructure becomes more important than the view of the synagogue. Last year, we moved 47 companies and most of those who started by looking for atmosphere ended up looking for a stable connection and efficient air conditioning. Old walls, new rules – technology does not forgive sentimentality.
Before you sign a contract for 3 years, take an electrician with you or invite us for an audit. We will check if those beautiful ceilings don't hide an installation from 1974. Remember that the office is a work tool, not just an address on a business card. At Mondiairelay-suivi, we help choose so that in a year you won't have to pack boxes again. Honestly, sometimes it's better to give up a prestigious address for the peace of mind of your admin.
