Opava selected a buyer for part of the Dukelská Barracks, there will be apartments there

Opava – The Opava council has selected a developer to whom the city will sell the central part of the Dukelská barracks for 51 million crowns. There will be 16 apartment buildings with 300 apartments on an area of 3.7 hectares. The sale and the wording of the purchase agreement still need to be approved by the city council in September. Mayor Tomáš Navrátil (ANO) said this to journalists today.

The city chose from two offers. Ultimately, the committee selected the Ostrava company JTA, which offered the highest price. "In addition, we were impressed by the overall concept. The company has a nice portfolio of buildings and good references," Navrátil stated. He added that construction is expected to start within four years, and everything should be completed within eight. "The construction will be carried out in phases," the mayor said.

The city and its representatives have been dealing with the use of the multi-hectare area for the past ten years. The previous leadership of Opava had even chosen a developer who was supposed to build on the vacant plots and renovate five historical buildings. However, this collaboration fell through.

In the part of the barracks that the city is now selling, there should primarily be residential buildings. The mayor added that the area is very attractive due to its proximity to the city center, and there is a significant shortage of vacant apartments in Opava.

The barracks complex covers approximately 110,000 m². Several businesses operate in one part of it. The city now wants to sell the middle section, which is 3.7 hectares large. The third part, which contains several historical buildings, remains the property of the city for now. It will likely stay that way. The city hall would like to preserve the buildings and create starter apartments in them. A study is currently being developed.

"The study will be completed by mid-September. We want to create community housing there. Starter apartments, housing for young families, apartments for seniors," Navrátil said. He added that there are plans for the construction of facilities, including a restaurant. For example, the former gathering place for soldiers will be transformed into a park.

The original artillery barracks were built in Opava in 1889. The construction of the historical buildings involved the city construction engineer, painter, founder, and director of the City Museum in Opava, Moritz Hartel. The army vacated the buildings in 2006. Since then, efforts have been made to find a use for the site.