The association against the demolition of the "kulturák" in Plzeň is preparing further steps

Plzeň - The civic association Kultura(k), which has collected over 9000 signatures against the demolition of the cultural center in Plzeň and the new construction in its place, still refuses to come to terms with the shopping gallery plan. It is preparing further steps to prevent the complex that the company Amádeus Plzeň wants to build in the center of Plzeň for 2.5 billion crowns by 2013. Martin Marek, the spokesperson for the civic association, said this to ČTK today.
     "We have taken further steps to prevent the project in its current form with the help of the public," he added. He was not specific but stated that the association would present them around September 20. According to him, there are still ways to prevent the construction aside from the ongoing EIA process, in which the public can also participate. According to Marek, the association will certainly participate in the public discussion on the EIA assessment, which is expected in November.
     The regulatory conditions for the construction of the multifunctional center Corso Americká, which were approved by the city council last Thursday, are, according to the association, non-binding and "only correspond to what the investor submitted in the EIA documentation." The investor claims that they are in constant negotiations with the city hall and are accommodating to Plzeň. According to them, the building will not only have a commercial function based on an agreement with the city but will also serve other purposes, such as cultural and recreational activities.
     "The city’s expert committee did not address the division of the giant structure into parts at all. The resulting conditions allow the investor to destroy Denisovo nábřeží," the association stated in today's announcement. They argue that there are already enough giant shopping centers in Plzeň and that the building resembles a giant brick that will overshadow other landmarks and only attract more cars to Americká Street and newly to Denisovo nábřeží, where, according to the head of the association, Filip Kastl, the destruction of the bike path, sidewalk, and trees is planned.
     "The regulatory conditions are extremely lenient. Although the architects warned against the monolithic block, barrier solutions, and oversized dimensions, none of this is strictly mentioned, thus giving the investor considerable leeway for maneuvering," Kastl said. According to Barbora Ottová from the association, the outcome is an insult to the citizens who demanded an architectural competition. "In the end, the city does not even respect its own rules. We will now turn directly to the citizens," she added.
     The demolition of the cultural center from 1986 is set to begin at the end of the year and should be completed in April. "We are in constant talks with the city representatives. Our accommodating steps toward the city hall will require tens of millions of crowns more," said Jan Petřík, the investor's representative. The EIA process is currently underway, with a public discussion scheduled for October at the earliest, after which the zoning proceedings will begin. In the five-story center, there will be not only shops but also apartments, offices, sports, a hall with 300 seats, and galleries, along with a new pedestrian boulevard along Americká. A leisure center with an in-line track, climbing wall, and playgrounds is planned for the roof of the building. The investor has reduced the number of parking spaces from 720 to 500. They have committed to building two additional lanes at the U Jána intersection with surrounding developers.