The construction of a new town hall in Prague 12 will be delayed and become more expensive due to remediation

Prague – The new town hall in Prague 12 will be built no sooner than the first half of 2021. The construction between Písková and Generála Šišky streets will be delayed due to the removal of pollutants, the presence of which was confirmed by a recent survey. According to preliminary estimates, the removal costs will be around ten million crowns, said Petr Šula (TOP 09), the deputy mayor of Prague 12, today. Construction work began in June and was supposed to be completed by the end of next year. Prague 12 received an interest-free loan of 250 million crowns from the city council for the construction, with the total cost expected to be around 550 million crowns.

After the evacuation of structures designated for demolition, exploratory work was initiated to prove any contamination of the area. Sand was mined on the grounds in the past, and there were also Technical Services including a car wash. The results of the survey confirmed the need for remediation. Contaminated soil will be removed and replaced with suitable inert material, Šula said, estimating that the construction realization will be delayed by about 75 days.

The town hall had previously required the removal of asbestos from the construction site. Its removal cost 650,000 crowns according to Šula, and the municipal district paid an additional 350,000 crowns for the contamination survey.

The new building will house all the town hall offices that currently operate in seven separate buildings. The town hall will be barrier-free, and will include a café, a restaurant, and several shops are also planned. Additionally, there will be a multifunctional hall for council meetings and cultural events. From the new ceremonial hall, it will be possible to access a rooftop terrace. The architectural project is inspired by the history of Modřany, and the building will take the shape of three sugar cubes. A sugar factory operated in Prague 12 from 1861 to 2005.

The historic town hall of old Modřany was demolished in the 1980s. In 2007, the local government proposed to use the Prior building on Sofijské Square for its needs. This option was estimated to cost between 340 and 390 million crowns. Prague 12 then had an analysis conducted, which showed that the most advantageous location for the new town hall is the land between Písková and Generála Šišky streets.