Přerov residents want a retirement home or a city hall from Strojař

Přerov - The city of Přerov has sparked great interest among its residents with a call to find a use for the abandoned Strojař hotel. The city could acquire the building from the Ministry of Defense for free, provided it finds a public benefit use for it. Residents of Přerov sent about fifty proposals to the city on how the abandoned facility could be utilized. Until now, there was a risk that the nine-story hotel could become a dormitory for socially weak individuals, of whom there are already two dozen in Přerov.
    "People sent up to fifty proposals to the city. Most often, they would like to see the city hall headquarters, a home with care services, or a retirement home here. A commission made up of architects and experts has now been formed at the city. A technician will evaluate the possibilities by inspecting the Strojař. By the end of March, the city is supposed to contact the ministry and present the proposals," said Lenka Chalupová, spokesperson for the city hall, to ČTK today.
    Among the proposals was also the construction of starter apartments or a dormitory for mothers with children. If no use for the building can be found and it must be demolished, people want a parking lot for the nearby swimming pool, a traffic playground for children, an outdoor gym area, or a ropes course in its place.
    The Ministry of Defense has been trying to sell the abandoned dormitory for several months. At the turn of last year and this year, the ministry initially offered it for 62 million crowns, then the price dropped to 55 million and most recently to 46.5 million crowns. Representatives of the Přerov city hall originally requested that the ministry transfer the building to the city free of charge or for 18 million crowns, the amount for which it was once exchanged with the army, but without success. Out of fear that a dormitory might be established in the building, the councilors ultimately approved a plan in September to purchase it for a maximum amount of 40 million crowns.
    The new city leadership managed to negotiate a free transfer, but the condition is to find a public benefit use for the Strojař. Until the end of March, when the city is to present its proposals to the Ministry of Defense, the ministry will not offer the Strojař for sale. The representatives of Přerov also obtained preliminary consent for such a transaction from the Ministry of Finance.
    The Strojař, located in the city center, was built in the early 1970s as accommodation for young workers of the Přerov engineering works. In recent years, it was used by the army for soldiers stationed at the airport in Přerov. After the army left the city in 2013, the building has been abandoned.