Besser defends the demolition of the Art Nouveau building in Wenceslas Square
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"Yes, I could have made it easier for myself, disregarded the unanimous recommendation of nine lawyers from the appeal commission, pretended to save the old building and be popular. However, I preferred a decision that is justly made," he responded to Havel's open letter. The former president is not pleased with the demolition of the building at the corner of Opletalová Street and Wenceslas Square. "Dear Mr. Minister, allow me to publicly express my sadness over the consent you have given to the demolition of buildings at Wenceslas Square. Even greater than my regret over the demolition is my fear of the monstrosity that will stand on the site of the demolished buildings," wrote Havel.
"In this case, I did not decide on the demolition, but primarily the responsible people from the Prague City Hall. My decision 'only' respects the rights of the owner acquired in good faith, the laws of this country, and confirms the unanimous conclusion of the appeal commission," stated Besser.
The decision to demolish the building at the corner of Opletalová Street and Wenceslas Square, which neighbors the Jalta hotel, was made by Besser last week. The building is part of one of the most significant areas of the Prague Heritage Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so the decision has sparked a wave of dissent. The minister's verdict is final and cannot be appealed.
A new building is expected to be constructed in the coming years. According to the project that was published in the database of projects for environmental impact assessment, the planned new building in the shape of the letter L is to have three underground and nine above-ground floors.
The investor is the company Václavské náměstí 19 a.s. The demolition is planned to start this November. The new building is expected to have two underground levels reserved for parking, four levels for shops, and the rest for offices. The case has been dragging through the authorities since the fall of 2009, when the investor requested the city hall to issue a binding opinion on the demolition of the buildings and on the new construction at their site.
The fate of the building at the corner of Wenceslas Square and Opletalová Street in Prague will be decided by the building authority of Prague 1. The investor must request the officials for a demolition permit. Whether it will be granted is still uncertain. The Prague 1 district will also express its opinion on the approval.
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