Liberec has lost an investor for the reconstruction of the historical baths

Liberec - The Liberec city hall has lost an investor who would pay for the reconstruction of the historic building of the Liberec Spa of Emperor Franz Joseph I. The city hall had agreed more than a year ago to collaborate with the Israeli company Beit Amzaleg, which wanted to build a relaxation center, a hotel, and a plastic surgery clinic there, but the company withdrew from the project a month ago. It is not prepared to pay the increased price of 100 million crowns, said mayor Jiří Kittner to journalists today.
    The costs for the repair of the spa are estimated to be more than 400 million crowns.
    According to city hall spokesman Martin Korych, the city originally wanted 50 million crowns for the property. The investor was to commit to allowing swimming training for schoolchildren to be conducted at the spa for 30 years. Later, the city decided to remove this condition, increase the price, and resolve school swimming by building another pool. However, the company Beit Amzaleg did not agree to that.
    The city wants to contact the co-owners of the neighboring property and offer the spa to them. Two years ago, they expressed interest in it, but the city preferred the Israelis. "We do not have much hope that an investor will be found; the times are not favorable for that," admitted Kittner.
    According to Kittner, the spa will remain closed, but its condition will not be jeopardized. The city has invested more than 25 million crowns in repairing the heritage-protected building over the last four years, and this year's budget includes repairs of an additional five million crowns. The spa has a new roof, so further deterioration is not a concern.
    The neo-Renaissance Liberec spa was created during the peak expansion of what was then a German city and forms an architecturally unique complex with the neighboring North Bohemian Museum and children's polyclinic. The spa, which was built between 1900 and 1902 according to the design of the Viennese architect Peter Paul Brang, has changed owners several times in the past. However, they did not invest practically anything in the building.
    The city hall purchased the monument in 2005 at an auction for nine million crowns to prevent further deterioration. The city wanted a House of Health to be established there. However, its construction would cost 470 million crowns, which the city does not have, and its requests for subsidies have been unsuccessful.