The Vaňkovka shopping gallery in Brno will be complemented by a hotel and offices in a year

Brno - Next to the Brno shopping gallery Vaňkovka, which replaced the dilapidated factory of the same name two years ago, an eleven-story hotel, an administrative center, and shops will be built by June 2008. The long-neglected space near the city center between the train and bus station is gradually being filled. The construction, which will include one of the tallest buildings in the center, will cost approximately 650 million crowns, said Radek Konečný, a representative of the investor, to ČTK.
Just three years ago, people had to walk across a bridge in close proximity to the devastated industrial area when transferring from train to bus. In addition to the factory, several semi-ruined apartment buildings were located in the same block. However, all of this is now a thing of the past. The original Vaňkovka has been transformed into a center with shops and restaurants, and nearby, the Cadastral Office of Brno-venkov has set up its headquarters.
Construction will begin in April on a triangular complex with three buildings, situated between these buildings where a car dealership used to operate. The wider side facing Úzká street will consist of two buildings. One of them will likely be purchased by the insurance company AXA, said Libor Baroň, who is in charge of selling the site. The second building has 1200 square meters of shops on the ground floor and about 6000 square meters of offices on the next five floors for sale. At the rear, which is narrower towards Zvonařka station, an eleven-story tower with hotel rooms will be built.
Approximately 40,000 people pass through Vaňkovka each day, and it is already competing with the nearby Tesco department store. However, its director, Josef Wiederman, is not worried about further stores in the immediate vicinity. "We view it more as a complement to our assortment. They should offer different goods than Vaňkovka. Moreover, it will increase the attractiveness of the entire location," he stated.
The part of the city called Trnitá has been coming to life in recent years. Near Zvonařka, the development company CTP is now constructing offices, warehouses, and production halls. To the north of Vaňkovka, a new shopping district could emerge in place of the dilapidated houses, which are largely occupied by non-payers. Another boulevard is being considered on the opposite side of Vaňkovka; this street should lead to a new train station. However, no decision has yet been made about its construction.