Praha 3 will announce architectural competitions for a kindergarten and a senior house

Prague – The Prague 3 city hall plans to announce two architectural competitions by summer, for the construction of a new kindergarten on Jeseniova Street and a senior home on Pod Lipami Street. Matěj Michalk Žaloudek (Greens), the chairman of the local urban development committee, said this today to ČTK. Both buildings are intended to replace the current structures, which the city hall leadership deems unsuitable. In addition, the local authority plans to announce a competition for a water feature, which is to be placed where a disappeared water pump used to stand.

There are two kindergartens on Jeseniova, with the one at the upper part of the street, established in the 1960s or 1970s, scheduled for demolition. Žaloudek stated that according to structural assessments, it is in poor condition, and the city hall has decided to replace the building with a new one instead of repairing it at a cost of tens of millions of crowns. Currently, the kindergarten is partially operational, but about half of the children are divided into other facilities.

The new kindergarten is to have six classes instead of the current four, with at least two being barrier-free and one for children up to three years old. The construction costs for the kindergarten are estimated at 85 million crowns, and it should be opened by September 2024 at the latest. According to Žaloudek, the competition for its design is planned to be announced in about six weeks, once the assignment is completed and approved. "The kindergarten is very popular for its garden, which is huge and beautiful," said Žaloudek, adding that the competition assignment will include a requirement for preserving the garden as much as possible.

The situation is similar for the nursing home for seniors Pod Lipami, which, according to the plans of Prague 3's leadership, is also to be demolished. According to Žaloudek, the capacity of the new home is expected to double to 50 beds, replacing the current two-story building with a two- to three-story one. In addition to the residential part, the new facility will include a day center and a multifunctional hall or café. The local authority estimates the costs at 80 to 100 million crowns.

The city hall also wants to announce the competition by summer so that architects can work over the holidays, added Žaloudek. At the same time, the local authority is preparing a discussion about the project with local residents in April. Previous administrations of Prague 3 planned to build a nursing home with a capacity of 150 beds on K Lučinám Street, replacing the former nursery building; however, this plan was criticized by local residents, and the current city hall leadership no longer considers it.

In addition to the two competitions for larger structures, the city hall plans to announce an art competition for the design of the water feature within a month, which should be located at the historic staircase from Táboritská to Chelčického Street, where a water pump once stood. This pump disappeared at the turn of the millennium, and the local authority has not been able to trace what happened to it. The capital city is also preparing a comprehensive renovation of Seifertova Street and its surroundings.