The construction of the Brno Edison Center is set to begin next year

Brno - The administrative complex Edison Center is set to begin construction at the intersection of Koliště and Cejl streets in Brno next year. The investor CERE Invest received a zoning decision last week and is planning to obtain a building permit next year. The building will have ten above-ground floors and four underground levels for parking. The construction budget is estimated between 650 and 700 million crowns. The company announced this at a press conference today.
      The building will offer 16,000 square meters, but it is still unclear how much will be allocated to administration and how much to supplementary services such as shops and restaurants. There should be 248 parking spaces in the underground levels. "We are keeping our options open so we can adapt to a market that is currently unpredictable. It is necessary for the building to function economically," said project manager Tomáš Janas. If construction begins next year, the project should be completed in 2015. "The construction should take between 18 to 24 months," Janas clarified.
      Architect David Titz drew inspiration from Edison's light bulb, which the building resembles when viewed from Malinovského Square; from a bird's eye perspective, the building looks like a caterpillar. The project began in 2008. "We tried to complete the city block and create an environmentally friendly building that does not burden the surroundings and will only have strong car traffic on a small city ring. About 40,000 cars pass this way daily," said Titz. The building will primarily be made of steel and glass, with photovoltaic panels on the roof.
      Restrictions during construction are expected to be minimal, especially if it is possible to establish two-way traffic on Vlhká Street for the delivery of materials. Only temporarily should traffic on Koliště be restricted in one direction during the installation of the lower part of the facade.
      CERE Invest brings together seven Dutch investors who have been active in the Czech Republic since 1993 and have already invested 270 million euros in Central Europe. Their new constructions have revitalized Prague's Smíchov, and they believe that Edison Center will have a similar effect on the surrounding area of the Brno intersection.