The renovation of the House of Music in Pardubice will be completed in June

Pardubice - The first concert after the repairs begin will take place in Suk's Hall at the House of Music in Pardubice on March 12th. However, the reconstruction will not be finished and will continue during operation until about June. This was stated to reporters today by Deputy Governor Roman Línek (Coalition for Pardubice Region). "March 12th is sacred for us; we promised cultural organizations that we would make it in time," Línek said. The repairs are more demanding than expected, he added.

The repairs are divided into two projects. The interior modifications will cost 62 million crowns. Insulation of the building, replacement of doors and windows with triple glazing will cost 40 million crowns, with this investment being supported by the EU.

The building needed a complete reconstruction. Most installations were beyond their lifespan. The ceilings were hanging from several hundred massive steel hangers, which workers had to cut off one by one. The floors in the chamber and small hall were so uneven that workers had to grind down the irregular layers and are now replacing them with cast materials.

"This will delay subsequent carpentry work in the two smaller halls. However, we are negotiating with companies about adjusting the schedule so that the large hall can be operational by the promised date. At the same time, a tender is underway for the supply of audiovisual technology," Línek said.

The main conduits on the ceilings are finished, and workers will then cover them with drywall. In the ground floor hall, they are repairing granite paving. They should start painting the walls in January. "The demolition work was challenging; everything was manually transported outside. We are delayed by floor leveling, we are leveling them with a screed. The main conduits on the ceiling were the most challenging for coordinating the work," said Richard Dvořák from the construction company Marhold.

"The glazed balconies in the hall section of the building will be a pleasant promenade with refreshments available during intermission. Guests will have a view of the Pardubice Castle. The space will also receive new artistic chandeliers from Czech glassmakers," Línek said.

The building, constructed in 1983, was the headquarters of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, and it has also been used by the youth organization and the monopoly trade union organization ROH. The designer is architect Jan Třeštík, who is collaborating on the new shape of the building. In the early 1990s, the state acquired the building, and it began to be used by the Pardubice Conservatory, the East Bohemian State Chamber Orchestra, now the Chamber Philharmonic Pardubice, and the Havlíčkova Art School.

Next to the House of Music, which is in the city center and has a lack of parking spaces, a parking garage could one day be built. Visitors would walk from there to the basement of the building, where changing rooms will be located. The investor is negotiating with the city and the region about purchasing land and other conditions. "Preparation will take two years. It is a private project. It will have four floors, and concerts could be held on the last one with a beautiful view of the city," Línek said.