In the corner of Národní and Mikulandská, a multifunctional building could arise

photo: www.znamenictyr.cz

Prague - A multifunctional building could potentially rise instead of a hotel on one of the most expensive plots in the center of Prague on Národní Street. The investor reportedly intends to request a change in the building permit from Prague 1, said Prague 1 spokesperson Veronika Blažková to journalists. However, according to her, the office has not yet received any request.
    The vacant lot at the corner of Národní and Mikulandská Streets in central Prague was sold by the municipality in 2005 for what is likely a record price of 234,700 crowns per square meter, totaling nearly 184 million crowns. The hotel, which was to be built according to a design by the Znamení čtyř studio from 2008, received approval from Prague’s heritage protectors. However, it was criticized by the Club for Old Prague, which stated that the construction would require a "brutal intervention" into the neighboring Schönkirch House.
    The parcel was purchased from the city by the Dittrich company, but they could not find an investor for the construction. The Baroque palace, along with the vacant lot used as a parking lot, was mortgaged in favor of PPF Bank, and last year it went up for auction with a starting price of 227.5 million crowns. A new investor, Petr Němec, a former founder of the pharmaceutical company PharmaSwiss, recently joined the project.
    An archaeological survey is currently being conducted on the site of the future construction. Archaeologists have so far discovered evidence of permanent settlement from the 11th and 12th centuries. This primarily consists of numerous fragments of ceramic vessels, animal bones, and coins that were found in the buried remains of buildings made from wood. They were related to a road that connected Prague Castle and Malá Strana with the area of what later became the Old Town and Vyšehrad.
    "In general, we welcome the reduction of hotel concentration in the area of Prague 1. The hotel market is completely saturated," said the mayor of the first municipal district, Oldřich Lomecký (TOP 09). He added that the significant hotel competition in Prague is driving accommodation prices down, and in comparison with other European metropolises, they are too low. "This attracts clientele of guests who come here just to get drunk," Lomecký said.