The renovated Oroszlán Street and surroundings officially inaugurated
Yesterday, the reconstructed downtown heritage building complex and streets were officially inaugurated with festive programs, marking the completion of a private investment initiated by the founder of KÉSZ Group. The renovation of Oroszlán Street, Nádor Street, and Deák Ferenc Street included the installation of nearly 100,000 paving stones across the affected sections, along with several hundred meters of new public lighting cables, water pipes, and stormwater drainage mains. Environmental sustainability was a key priority throughout the renovation. New lamp posts equipped with energy-efficient LED lighting were installed, and a 35 m³ rainwater reservoir was built to ensure sustainable irrigation of public greenery and trees in the area.
At the handover ceremony, Dr. László Botka, Mayor of Szeged, highlighted: “Szeged not only shapes its present but also preserves its past to pass it on in its full beauty to future generations.” The mayor noted that with 682 locally protected buildings and 176 nationally protected monuments, Szeged ranks among the top Hungarian cities in terms of heritage preservation. In recent years, the city has renovated and greened one of its oldest streets, Oskola Street, and developed its cycling infrastructure using a combined 2.4 billion HUF from its own budget and EU funding—contributing to a more unified appearance of the Palánk district.
Mihály Varga, founder of KÉSZ Group—the investor and contractor of the project—stated in his welcome speech: “KÉSZ Group has always been proud of its Szeged roots, and we are delighted to contribute to the city's modernization with dozens of construction and renovation projects. The renovation of this downtown area was a special task that we will always be proud of.” He also shared archaeological insights, revealing that archaeologists from the Móra Ferenc Museum identified 132 excavation units during the process, resulting in the collection of a significant number of artifacts. Unique archaeological finds included a section of the historical fortification that gave the Palánk district its name, as well as remnants of an 18th–19th century workshop.
KÉSZ Group's Contribution to the City
As one of Hungary's largest technology-focused construction companies, KÉSZ Group has played a pivotal role in Szeged’s development for over 40 years. Notable projects include the acquisition, renovation, and adaptive reuse of the heritage-protected building on Klauzál Square—formerly the Europa Hotel—as an office building, and the reconstruction of the Industrik office complex. The company is currently developing the Tilia Office Building, Szeged’s first BREEAM and WELL-certified “A”-category office complex, which includes the complete renovation of a locally protected building. KÉSZ Group is also deeply committed to vocational education. In the Tápé district, the company established and operates Edupark, a Sectoral Training Center that currently provides full-time vocational education for 500 students and adult training for an additional 200 participants.
