The historic skylight that will cover the first floor offers, through its wide openness and increased height, a diversity of unusual spaces, from very bright offices to cultural and leisure areas. Thus, One Gallery will host a multifunctional hall for theatre performances, cultural events, concerts, and conferences.
With the commercial concepts launched within One Gallery, One United Properties aims to contribute to the revitalization of the Floreasca area. The multifunctional hall is intended to enliven the cultural life of the neighbourhood and attract both the locals and tourists. In addition, to celebrate the valuable history of this heritage building, the company will also set up a museum space, which will include documents of the time, archive photos and the only vintage car assembled in the former factory that still exists in Europe.
”The restoration of the former Ford factory is a particularly valuable development for the city, for the legacy of its history and for the future opportunities it creates. We aim to bring this urban landmark back to life and transform it into a modern commercial space, a true contemporary agora that will enliven cultural and social life, just as we see in major European capitals. Our stated goal is to be involved in the revitalization of the neighbourhoods in which we build, providing amenities and benefits for the entire community,” said Andrei Diaconescu, co-founder and co-CEO of One United Properties.
One Gallery will house an Auchan supermarket concept store, a food market and office space on the first floor. Earlier in the summer, the company announced a partnership with Tomcat Hospitality to operate a modern concept food market at One Gallery, which will house 47 different operators with premium products in various formats integrated under one roof. This modern concept will position Bucharest alongside other prestigious European cities with the premiere of this innovative gastronomic concept.
The former Ford factory building, located within One United Properties' One Floreasca City development, was the first Ford factory with an operational assembly line in Eastern Europe. The land on which the factory was built was purchased in the early 1930s by Henry Ford himself. The factory opened in 1936 with 100 employees. Around 2,500 vehicles were assembled in the factory year after year until 1948, when the plant was closed after Romania came under Soviet influence.
One United Properties acquired the building in 2022 with the goal of restoring it and bringing it back into public use. Once the restoration works are completed, One Gallery will open as a retail and office space, an integral part of One Floreasca City multifunctional development, complementing the commercial services for both residents and the wider local community. The estimated delivery date of the restored building is the third quarter of 2025. The gross development value for One Gallery is currently estimated at €100 million, the largest private investment in Romania in the restoration of a historic building.
