Prague offered a site for the construction of the National Gallery's depository

Prague - The Prague city hall will offer the state, specifically the National Gallery, city-owned land in Nové Butovice for exchange or purchase for the construction of a storage facility for this cultural institution. The land offer is part of a proposed memorandum between Prague and the state, which the capital city has prepared and sent to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO). City representatives announced this at a press conference today. The gallery leadership has long discussed the need for a storage facility, which is also a condition for the reconstruction of the Trade Fair Palace, which partially serves as a storage facility.

The state-owned land identified for the construction of the storage facility is surrounded by city parcels. According to Deputy Mayor Petr Hlaváček (TOP 09), consolidating the land would create a sufficiently large space for the construction of the storage facility. The parcels are located near a shopping center in Butovice.

"There is a consensus that this place needs to be redesigned. Modern storage facilities are no longer just warehouses but also have exhibition spaces where, for example, temporary exhibitions of paintings that have just been acquired by the gallery are held, or cafes," Hlaváček said.

The capital city is already collaborating with the gallery, according to the deputy mayor. For instance, it is helping with access to the zoning plan. "The gallery is not an investor that is active in this daily," Hlaváček said.

The offer to resolve property rights in Butovice is part of a memorandum on cooperation in the areas of property and urban planning. Mayor Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates) stated that Prague’s aim is to negotiate factually and without emotions. "We have taken the first step forward, it is a step with the land for the storage facility of the National Gallery. The ball is now in the court of the state. I would like to call on the Prime Minister to cooperate with us," Hřib said.

By signing the document, the parties would declare their intention to change the method of valuing property, whereby the state acquires it at an administrative price but transfers it at a customary price. This complicates the situation for Prague regarding exchanges. In the memorandum, city representatives also propose a joint effort to legally establish the rule that in the case of sale, the state must first offer the property to the given municipality before offering it to a third party.

The document also outlines projects that the city and the state should collaborate on. Among them are the development of Letňany and the construction of a hospital in this area, the construction of significant transport infrastructure such as road circuits, or the construction of a new concert hall. The city also wants to cooperate in finding a location for a new National Library building.