A petition has been created against the demolition of the Inwest cultural house in Plzeň

The planned demolition of the Inwest cultural center on Americká Street in Pilsen may endanger some cultural events currently held at the site. These include the music poll Žebřík, theater performances, and graduation balls. The owner intends to demolish the building within two years. A petition has been created in the city because of this, as reported by ČTK from representatives of the city and organizers of cultural events.

    "It is uncertain whether the Žebřík music awards will be able to continue in Pilsen. Ideally, an adequate space should be created, which, as far as I know, is not planned," said Jarda Hudec, the organizer of the nationwide poll. Žebřík is among the major music events of the year, and for 18 years, the best from the Czech music scene have gathered on one stage in Pilsen.
According to Kristina Štěpánová from the promotion department of the Pilsen city hall, the demolition of Inwest will also be a blow to the organizers of other events. The city lacks a convention center, and the building on Americká Street serves as a venue for fairs and exhibitions, such as the ITEP fair for tourism in the Pilsen region. "There are no other such spaces here," Štěpánová stated. According to her, Pilsen would need a convention center, even on the outskirts. The city lacks a facility with a capacity of over 1,000 seats.
Deputy Mayor Marcela Krejsová told ČTK that she has no information about Inwest. "It is a problem of a private investor who does not feel the need to communicate with the city. I have only heard that the cultural center has its last season ahead," she stated. According to her, the Parkhotel could serve in the future, which has a hall for a thousand people. Another convention center could potentially be the Měšťanská beseda, according to Krejsová.
The developer Amádeus Real plans to build a shopping center instead of the current cultural house. They aim to start the demolition within two years.
A public petition will be presented in a week by young architects from Pilsen, who point out that another shopping area will be created in the metropolis. "We already have the petition ready; now we just need to decide how to further disseminate it," said architect Jakub Mareš. According to him, it is not so much about a new design for the building or the demolition itself. "It is about the fact that when something is being demolished and something new is being proposed, it should be done thoughtfully. A shopping area in Pilsen is no longer needed, especially in such an exceptional space in the city center," he stated.