The investor does not plan to demolish the Pardubice brewery; the project accounts for it

Pardubice – The investor does not plan to demolish the former Pardubice brewery; their development plans include construction. However, the historical building is not in good condition, and its use is disputable, said Vladan Kubovec, portfolio manager of the Conseq Real Estate Fund, to ČTK. Pardubice has declared a building ban on part of the brewery site and wants it to be preserved. Production at the brewery ended in 2023. Since 2024, the buildings and land have belonged to Conseq Funds. The investor plans to build residential buildings, shops, or a hotel there.

"We are still working with multiple versions because the city does not communicate consistently, and it is still unclear what will be permitted in our area. However, from the beginning, most options operate under the assumption that the old brewery building will be preserved in its current spirit and size. However, the building is in very poor technical condition and does not allow for any other or broader use than the current one," Kubovec said.

The city was upset that the investor requested a demolition permit. Therefore, it imposed a building ban for part of the area and for 19th-century structures. It will also request the Ministry of Culture to have it registered as a cultural monument. "The investor has now requested a demolition permit from the building authority. I am not saying that they necessarily want to demolish it, but they may want to have that document in hand because if they obtain it under the current zoning plan, the new zoning plan will not revoke it. The fact that someone is trying to expedite this bothers me," said Mayor Jan Nadrchal (ANO) on Tuesday.

According to Kubovec, the investor is in uncertainty because they are adhering to the old zoning plan, while the city is preparing a new one, which it wants to approve in June. Its preparation has taken 16 years. The building ban or potential heritage protection is not a complication for the owner of the area. "For us, however, the biggest problem is that we do not know any fixed deadlines, and we cannot, like a good steward, plan relevantly. Many meetings have already taken place at various levels, but so far without any results or tangible timelines that we could rely on. For us, the speed of the city's decision-making is more important than this step," Kubovec said.

In the 19th century, the Pardubice brewery transformed into an industrial enterprise. In 1871, a joint-stock company was established, and production quickly expanded into the area on what is now Palackého Street. There was a brewhouse, a malting house, and cellars. The complex consisted of brick buildings. According to the city, it is the last evidence of industrial architecture from that period in the area.