A new shopping center worth half a billion crowns will be built in Sokolov

Sokolov - A new shopping center Michal will be built in Sokolov. The same-named housing estate will host a Tesco supermarket and 11 other stores in the ČSAD complex. The investment of about half a billion crowns is expected to be completed by Christmas 2010, said Ivan Hlaváček, the managing director of the investor company InterCora, today during the contract signing with the city.
    The shopping center on the Michal housing estate has been considered for several years, but the problem was the traffic solution. According to the plan presented today by InterCora, two roundabouts will be built, and parking in the entire Marie Majerová street will be changed.
    "There will be about 477 parking spaces in front of the shopping center. However, due to traffic service, about 60 existing spaces will be removed. Traffic will be managed so that deliveries will come directly from the intersection behind the shopping gallery and return back to the roundabout via Marie Majerová and exit the city," described the designer of the new center, Martin Volný.
    According to Hlaváček, InterCora is not worried that the project would be risky during the economic crisis. "We have secured financing and we have interested parties for almost all stores, with whom we are negotiating specific terms of their stores. Tesco is a sufficiently solid partner," Hlaváček said.
    Traffic modifications should begin this year, primarily involving the construction of roundabouts at the intersection of Závodu Míru and K. H. Borovského streets and M. Majerová and K. H. Borovský streets. The construction of the shopping center is expected to start in the spring of next year. The construction will require the felling of some existing trees in the area, while the surrounding trees should remain. The parking lot, however, will include greenery and the surroundings will have new planting, assured Volný.
    The city of Sokolov is also pleased. According to Deputy Mayor Jaromír Dvořák, this will solve parking issues in this part of the housing estate as well as unsatisfactory traffic. "To make these adjustments complete, we will add three million crowns from our funds," Dvořák added.
    Currently, Sokolov has supermarkets from chains such as Kaufland, Penny Market, Lidl, Plus, and Billa.