In Pilsen, the demolition of the largest illegal building that has marred the city for 25 years has begun.

Plzeň – In Plzeň, the demolition of the seven-storey remains of the former Carimex car dealership on Rokycanská Street, the main route from Prague, has begun. This is the largest unbuilt construction in the city, which has burdened Plzeň for almost a quarter of a century; locals call it "glass hell." The Plzeň developers InterCora and BC Real will build shops, offices, and apartments there. It will be demolished and cleared within a month, ČTK learned from the builders.

According to the agreement between the developers and the city, Carimex is to be demolished no later than the end of this September. The investors want to establish the Úslava Center near the river. "In the first phase, it will involve commercial and administrative buildings, and in the second phase, residential buildings," said Deputy Mayor Pavel Bosák (Pirates). The building, located on a busy road between Plzeň and Prague, was, according to him, in a deplorable state and is a disgrace to the area. InterCora and BC Real will also have to remove the car wash, service station, car dealership, and other facilities.

The commercial zone, which already has a zoning decision, will be built next year. For this, the investors also need nearly one hectare of municipal land. As soon as they demolish the remains of Carimex, the city will sell it to them. Plzeň is also changing the zoning plan to enable the construction of apartments around 2029.

A Plzeň businessman started building the Carimex site in 1997. He then began the construction of three above-ground floors without a permit. The issuance of an additional permit, which he applied for in 2007, was denied by the city, but disputes lasted until 2019. The ownership of the land was also contested in court. The unfinished structure deteriorated for years and was inhabited by homeless individuals. In 2020, the ownership of the building and land changed. The new owners, companies RP Letná and MS Letná, signed an agreement with the city and developers for collaboration on the development of the approximately three-hectare site two years ago.