The building authority ordered the demolition of the former Kovák hostel in Chrastava

Chrastava - The building authority ordered the demolition of the former Kovák dormitory in Chrastava in the Liberec region. The town hall wants the dilapidated and seven years vacant building to disappear from the city, fearing that the crumbling structure could seriously injure or even kill someone. Michael Canov (Mayors for the Liberec Region), the mayor, said this to ČTK today. The building authority has issued a demolition order for the third time; in the previous two instances, the regional office overturned the decision. ČTK was unable to obtain a statement from the owner today.

The Kovák dormitory was built in the 1970s for apprentices of the then Chrastava-based Elitex factory. In the mid-1990s, the building was acquired by Prague entrepreneur Radim Urban, who turned it into a dormitory. It accommodated up to 200 people, even though the capacity was not even half that. Due to unsuitable conditions, the building had to be vacated at the beginning of 2010. The owner then attempted to sell it unsuccessfully. Two years ago, he proposed a project to convert the dilapidated house into studio apartments. However, the project, costing 27 million crowns, was rejected by the councilors. They do not believe that it would not again become a dormitory.

The dilapidated building stands at a busy intersection at the entrance to the town. The town hall wants it to disappear. However, the regional office has so far always overturned the decision to demolish the house. "The Regional Office of the Liberec Region found deficiencies in the documents of the proceedings, which concerned the construction and technical condition of this building. This means determining whether the building is indeed in such a state of emergency," said the spokesperson for the regional office, Markéta Dědková. She did not want to predict the decision in the last case; officials have until the end of the year to make a decision.

Mayor Canov admits that there is no immediate danger of the building collapsing in the case of Kovák. "However, the building authority must order demolition even if the building is in such a state that it threatens the health or lives of people or animals, if the owner does not remedy the deficiencies within the specified time frame," the mayor stated. According to him, the building is dangerous, which was also confirmed by a professional assessment. According to Canov, the condition of the house is continuously deteriorating and the owner is doing nothing about it. The town hall is prepared to ensure the demolition itself if necessary, similar to how it had a dilapidated cultural center demolished three years ago. In such a case, costs will be claimed from the owner in court.