The reconstruction of the Prague 10 town hall is expected to cost about 1.1 billion CZK

Prague – The planned reconstruction of the city hall in Prague 10 in Vršovice is expected to cost 1.1 billion crowns. This was announced today by Jan Hamrník, spokesperson for the city district, referring to the budget that is part of the completed repair project. According to him, the city district is trying to reduce the amount. The repairs are expected to begin next year, with completion in 2024. The city district intends to cover the majority of the costs from a grant from the Ministry of the Environment and a half-billion interest-free loan from the Prague magistrate.

The extensive complex on Vršovická street was built in the 1970s and is in poor condition. In the past, Prague 10 considered relocating its office elsewhere, but the previous leadership of the city district decided to repair the building. In the autumn of 2019, the city hall selected the design firm Casua to prepare the repair project.

"The Casua company has completed the project and is currently handing it over to the city district," said Hamrník. He added that the original project estimated costs at approximately 1.23 billion crowns, and during the handover of the documentation, the amount decreased to 1.1 billion. "The handover of the project is still ongoing, and the city district, in cooperation with the design company, is looking for further savings," stated the spokesperson.

According to previous information, the city hall wants to finance the reconstruction costs primarily with the approved grant from the Ministry of the Environment and the half-billion interest-free loan from the Prague magistrate, which has already been approved by the city. According to representatives of the city hall leadership, savings on operations after the reconstruction should reach tens of millions annually. During the reconstruction, officials will have to move to temporary premises, with the relocation scheduled for this autumn.

However, according to Hamrník, it is possible that due to the longer project handover and its modifications, the relocation deadline may shift. "Given the current situation, the exact start of the reconstruction itself, and thus also the relocation, cannot be precisely known," he said. He added that the city hall leadership canceled the tender that the office announced last year for substitute premises because of this. "As soon as it is possible to update the schedule, the tender will be reissued," he added.

In addition, Prague 10 plans modifications to the surroundings of the city hall and is considering what to do with the adjacent cultural house Eden, which has been closed for 17 years and is deteriorating. Its repair and demolition are both under consideration. An urban planning study will be created to address the entire area, and the city hall is also considering residential development on vacant plots.

Previous leaderships of Prague 10 considered various options for addressing the situation with the building. Initially, a plan was developed to build a new city hall at an estimated cost of 775 million crowns, but civic associations and the opposition condemned the project as overpriced and it was ultimately abandoned. After that, relocating the city hall to the unused Strašnice school was contemplated.