Litomyšl wants to start the construction of a new senior citizens' home in November

Litomyšl - Litomyšl wants to begin the construction of a new senior home during November. The city leadership has selected the contractor that won among 11 participants in the competition with the lowest bid of 196 million crowns excluding VAT. The city has already saved most of the necessary funds and is now seeking a way to finance the remaining costs, said Mayor Daniel Brýdl (Generace 89) to ČTK.

The city hall wants to approach several banks regarding the conditions under which they would lend the city up to 100 million crowns. Litomyšl could draw the loan in the years 2027 and 2028, with the principal to be repaid from 2029 until 2045. "We want to have offers presented to us and we'll see how it turns out. We have several scenarios," said Brýdl. The city could also sell the two current buildings housing the home after the construction is completed and use the proceeds to cover the remaining construction costs.

The city had long set aside money for the construction from its budget, from fines for speed measurements, or from municipal forests and was waiting for a suitable grant title. At the beginning of this year, 156 million crowns had been saved in a special account. The conditions for a potential grant are not met by the project. The city hall also abandoned the idea last year of involving a private investor who would build the senior home and then lease it to the city, as it would not be financially beneficial.

Construction will be based on the project by architects Pavel Nasadil and Jan Horký from the architectural firm FAM architekti, who won the architectural competition in 2014. Their project proposes a new three-story building opposite the hospital with the upper two floors designated for living, a ground floor, and a flat roof. It will also include a kitchen, laundry, chapel, and administrative section. The new facility is intended to serve 100 clients in single and double rooms; the current home is located in two old buildings with a total of 75 beds. It also cares for patients with Alzheimer's disease. The construction should be completed in two years, with an additional six months required for finishing touches and interior furnishings.

The city hall also wants to request the Pardubice Region, which distributes grants for social services, to change the target capacity of the facility. The original 75 beds for the senior home and 25 beds for the home with a special regime should be changed to 50 beds for the senior home and 50 beds for the home with a special regime.