Liberec will request funding again for the reconstruction of the Liebieg Palace; it wants more

Liberec – Liberec will again apply for a European grant for the reconstruction of the Liebieg Palace for more than 200 million crowns, withdrawing the previous application based on the decision of the city council. The reason is the increased cost of construction, and the city hall would like to obtain a higher subsidy. Radka Loučková Kotasová (ANO), the deputy mayor, said this to ČTK today. She also admitted that the city risks losing the grant.

According to her, they inquired with the grant provider whether this procedure is possible, but no one can guarantee them a hundred percent certainty. "I am a bit nervous about it. However, we are not changing the purpose of the project, we are not changing the parameters, we are not changing the use; we are only changing the costs. So I hope that the grant provider, those who will approve it, will not take it away from us," said the deputy mayor.

Liberec was expected to receive about 178 million from the operational program (IROP) based on the originally approved application. The construction cost has already risen from 203.5 million by about 12 million and will increase by another six to seven million, likely even more. The deputy mayor fears that the price could reach up to 235 million. "That’s why we want to wait for further unexpected additional work that is appearing here, and we will try to submit the application again in November, including these costs, because the IROP rules allow it. So we hope that we could receive an additional 30 million in grants," she added.

The reconstruction of the architecturally protected palace, which was built nearly 140 years ago as a family residence by the industrialist Johann Liebieg Jr., began last September. The wooden structures are in significantly worse condition than expected due to an infestation by wood-destroying fungi. Its spread was facilitated by the fact that the building has been vacant since the relocation of the Regional Gallery at the end of 2014. Contrary to original plans, all ceiling structures had to be revealed and inspected. "There were floors where the project anticipated simply sanding the parquet and moving away from the room. But then we decided, based on the adjacent rooms, that we would rather expose the ceiling. And when we uncovered it, we saw that it was not enough to just sand the parquet or replace the boards; something had to be done about the beams that support it. All of this delays you," stated Jan Lajksner, a technical specialist from the Liberec City Hall.

In contrast, the trusses are in better condition than expected. As a result, the roof repair can be done in sections, which is cheaper. The façade is also in better condition than anticipated. Its beauty became apparent after cleaning. "When we saw it, we said it was a good thing that we weren't caught here by some filmmakers. They would rent it right away because it looks like a dilapidated palace in Tuscany," said Lajksner. The façade will return to its original colors. Instead of pink-white, it will be white-gray, greenish, and gray. According to the original plans, the reconstruction of the palace into a community center was expected to end in April next year; it is now scheduled for August. The Liebieg Palace will then become a meeting place for people from children to seniors and various social groups.