No one participated in the auction of the former institution complex in Králíky

Králíky - The first auction of the area of the former children's correctional facility in Králíky, organized by the Office for the Representation of the State in Property Matters (ÚZSVM), saw no participants. The state offered the property at a starting price of 35.6 million crowns. The state will attempt to sell the area again in the fall, said ÚZSVM spokesperson Radek Ležatka to ČTK.

"No bids were submitted. We expect to announce a repeated auction in November of this year, and the price will likely be lowered," stated Ležatka. According to him, ÚZSVM has registered several preliminary interested parties. The new starting price will be set according to market conditions and may be reduced by ten percent, for example.

The area consists of four buildings with built plots and four additional pieces of land. The main building is three stories high and partially basement. The building from 1883 with two wings includes classrooms, rooms, staff rooms, offices, a gym, a workshop, a laundry, a kitchen with a dining room, five apartments, offices, and storage spaces. A workshop with a garage, a greenhouse, and a well will also be sold.

The extensive area with an area of 39,252 square meters has been abandoned since the end of 2014. The Ministry of the Interior originally wanted to use it as a residence facility for asylum seekers. This was opposed by a part of the city's residents and some politicians. They were concerned that the presence of foreigners would harm tourism in the region, that the immigrants would not integrate with the locals, and that they might not feel comfortable in a small town. The ministry eventually abandoned the plan and transferred the property to the Ministry of Justice, which proposed to establish a prison in Králíky. This too met with unfavorable reception, as people indicated in a referendum at the end of 2016 that they did not want the prison. Although the vote was not binding for the ministry, last summer they abandoned the plan.

The city of Králíky also attempted to acquire the area. It wanted to utilize the extensive main building for residential and social purposes. It requested a gratuitous transfer from ÚZSVM, but it was denied. In the past, the company Sněžník, which owns a large year-round recreational center in nearby Dolní Morava, also expressed interest in the area.