The second phase of Pest's new Danube-side district is already under construction

In response to customer interest that exceeded expectations, the Cordia, part of the Futureal-csoport, has started construction of the second phase of the Marina City ahead of schedule, according to a press release sent to this newspaper. The Marina City, a neighbourhood rehabilitation development with explicitly long-term plans, will build 184 apartments on 14 hectares of land in the Danube bank in the northern Pest XIII district. At the same time, work is already in full swing on the preparation of the launch of Phase 3.

They add:

The first two phases of the district, based on a unique urban design concept, will see 363 apartments built by 2027, of which nearly 60 percent have already found buyers in the last six months. Construction work is in full swing.

A second building, similar to the first phase, will house 184 homes, most of which will have views of the Danube and the Buda hills, and are expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

2500 homes to be built

In the next few years, more than 2,500 apartments are planned to be built in the area, in a design never seen before in the capital, with increasingly spacious homes on the upper floors thanks to the upwardly expanding massing, and penthouses on the top floor.

A promenade along the length of the banks of the River Roma for the people of Budapest

Although the Danube bisects the city, there are only relatively few places where anyone can approach the river without being disturbed. By changing this, Marina City will create value for the whole community of the city, in addition to the residents," the statement says.

One of the main elements of the development is the extension of the Danube promenade in the north of the city by 1.2 kilometres, the length of the Romani bank. The other key element is that the airy residential buildings will be surrounded by 90,000 square metres of continuous, car-free green space, accessible to all. The total car-free nature of the area implies that not only the parking spaces but also the routes of vehicles carrying out service functions (waste collection, removal, food delivery) will be brought below the surface.

"An important part of the development concept of Marina City was the accessibility of the river, the creation of an active Danube connection. This section will be unique in the capital city in that it will be close to the water as part of everyday life, with no physical separation between residents and the water. At the same time, the proximity of the river does not pose a risk: the recent flooding, which caused serious problems in many places, has not affected construction. The project will also include the construction of a high bank with landscaping elements, in parallel with the construction of the residential buildings", said Áron Görög, Sales Director of Cordia.

Budapest's largest community clubhouse for residents to be built with pools and wellness centre

The new neighbourhood will be part of the 15-minute city concept, meaning that many services and shopping facilities will be available locally, while public transport connections will be excellent. As an example of the latter, this is the only Danube-front development of similar scale with a direct metro connection, guaranteeing rapid access to the city centre.

A new kindergarten and municipal offices will be built in the area, while the residents and workers of the district will have their own Clubhouse, the largest community facility of its kind in the capital, with a fitness and wellness centre, indoor and outdoor pools, coworking space, a community kitchen and an indoor play area for children.

Green solutions to cut bills

Sustainability and outstanding energy efficiency are the key pillars of the Marina City development concept. The grid electricity used during the construction will be supplied from green sources, and the buildings will be heated by air-to-water and ground-source water-to-water heat pumps, eliminating the need for natural gas or district heating.

A solar panel system will be installed on the roofs of the residential buildings, providing a green source of electricity to supplement the grid electricity needed to run the energy generating equipment. In response to the rapid growth of electric car use, a proprietary flexible charging management system will be deployed to serve the full charging needs of vehicles. The optimal operation of all these systems, the operation of the consumers, the heat demand and the required electrical power are controlled by a smart energy management system.