The demolition of the Opava Slezanka has finished, the company is now just cleaning up and removing the debris

Opava - The demolition of the dilapidated Slezanka shopping center in Opava has been completed. The company responsible for the demolition is now only cleaning up and removing the debris. Everything should be finished by the end of April, city spokesman Roman Konečný said today.

The demolition was complicated; only after it began did experts discover that the building was unstable and at risk of collapsing. Tests showed that the structure was in significantly worse technical condition than expected. According to experts, the technological procedures and quality of materials were likely not followed during construction, especially concerning the concrete monolithic structures, as proven by a random sample test.

The company therefore halted the demolition for several days and sought a more gentle and safer approach. "This was successful, and the direct demolition work has now finished. The company is currently cleaning up and removing the construction debris. The deadline for completing all work is by the end of April," Konečný explained.

The first phase of the demolition focused on the above-ground parts of the building from the passage by the co-cathedral to the entrance of the building. A legal dispute is ongoing regarding the section to the left of the passage to the building of Tempa.

The panel building was constructed on the site of brewery houses from the 17th century. The block, which had a prefabricated appearance, connected to the historical buildings of the center and was adjacent to the Gothic cathedral. The building has long been problematic for the city hall. The city purchased the majority share in 2008 for 270 million crowns. Since then, it has addressed the possible use of the building. In 2021, the council approved the demolition of the acquired part.

After the removal of the above-ground parts of the building, an archaeological survey will take place in the immediate vicinity of Slezanka, which is to be replaced by a multifunctional cultural hall with a capacity of approximately 800 to 1,000 people, intended for balls, dances, concerts, congresses, and other social events. There has long been a lack of representative space of this type in the city center. The project also includes an underground parking lot with a capacity of approximately 250 spaces. A hotel and residential buildings could also be built on the site. In addition to the hall and underground parking, the buildings will be constructed by private investors.