The center in the former barracks in Prague's Karlín will not close yet

Prague – For now, the current social and cultural center will remain in the courtyard and in a smaller building of the state-owned barracks in Prague's Karlín. As spokesperson Michaela Tesařová from the Office for the Representation of the State in Property Matters (ÚZSVM) said in response to a query from ČTK, the new operator selected by the office last year did not sign the lease agreement, and the office did not announce another tender.

"The winner of the tender last year did not sign the lease agreement, therefore the deposit was forfeited. Considering the coronavirus pandemic, we have not yet announced another tender. Currently, intensive negotiations are taking place regarding the exchange of Karlín barracks with the capital city of Prague for property needed by the state," explained the spokesperson.

Last year, ÚZSVM conducted an auction in which, according to earlier information from the office, two tenants applied. The successful bid was a rent of 145,000 crowns per month. The winner of the auction was, according to information from Deník N, Ondřej Kučera, who previously worked as an operations manager at the Žižkov Freight Railway Station and operated the Altenburg 1964 boat in Prague's Holešovice. In addition to the courtyard, the lease concerned a smaller building that previously served as a facility for the barracks.

Since 2017, the Prague Center association has been operating in the area, which has created, for example, a gallery, a dance school, a cultural club with a bar, and a daily cafe in the foyer of the former army pool. The center has space in a free loan and did not participate in the new tender, arguing that the conditions would not allow for the continuation of the current concept.

The leadership of the capital city expressed interest in the barracks area as part of negotiations on property exchanges between the city hall and the state. Initially, the city hall considered that the building could serve officials, but it turned out to be unsuitable for these purposes. Then city leaders suggested that student housing could be built there.

The Ministry of Defense has repeatedly tried to sell the area in the past, last time for about 620 million crowns. In 2016, the Ministry of Justice took over the building, and then Minister Robert Pelikán (formerly ANO) planned to renovate it and establish a judicial palace there. However, the plan fell through.

The historical building of the Karlín barracks dates back to the 19th century and was used for military purposes during both Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic. The building has been a listed monument since 1958.