The Olomouc City Hall has announced a competition for the redevelopment of the area around the market

Olomouc - The Olomouc city council has announced an urban planning competition for the future design of a large area between the city market, the former bus station, and Smetana Gardens. After decades of discussions, the city aims to find a long-term solution for this space adjacent to the historical center of the city. The announcement was made on social media by the mayor's deputy, Tomáš Pejpek (ProOlomouc).

The urban planning competition will have two rounds. "Its goal is to propose the completion of the missing fragment of the urban structure and the arrangement and use of a key urban node in the center of Olomouc," said Pejpek. Architects can submit their proposals to the city council by March 31. After the competition concludes, the city will commission a territorial study, which will serve as the main basis for decision-making and preparation for the redevelopment of this extensive area.

The jury assessing the proposals submitted for the urban planning competition will include, in addition to the mayor Miroslava Ferancová (ANO) and her deputy Pejpek, a representative of the opposition, entrepreneur Richard Benýšek, and Richard Morávek from the development group Redstone, which owns part of the land in this location. The jury also includes independent architects. The winner of the competition will receive 650,000 CZK, the second place 400,000 CZK, and the third 300,000 CZK. The city has allocated 1.75 million CZK for prizes and reimbursement of expenses.

The renewal and future design of the city market in Olomouc has been discussed for years. According to an earlier plan, a commercial-social center called Palác Morava was to be built at the market. However, there was a wave of resistance against the construction. The city leadership abandoned this plan, and in 2002, the council rejected the construction of Palác Morava. The area of the city market had long been in a neglected state. In 2022, after an unsuccessful concession procedure for long-term management, the municipal organization Výstaviště Flora took over its operation and began extensive modifications of the space.

The city does not own the building of the former municipal slaughterhouse, which is a prominent part of this area. In the past, various shops and a gaming hall operated in the building. The property is currently owned by Siroky Group, which did not reach an agreement with the city council on the conditions for a potential transfer of the building to the city and is now offering it for sale for 57 million CZK.