The Zlín Region will partially repair its headquarters - Baťa's skyscraper

Zlín - The Zlín region wants to repair parts of its headquarters, the Baťa skyscraper, by the end of the year. The elevators, the entrance to the building, and the electrical distribution box particularly need renewal. The work is planned for the second half of the year, and the region seeks to apply for EU funding; the project documentation must be prepared by the end of April, said the regional governor's deputy Jiří Sukop (ANO) to reporters today.

If the region is successful, it will receive a grant of 70 million crowns. According to Sukop, it is more about whether the project can be completed on time; the money is allocated for the Zlín area and two potential heritage sites, one of which is the skyscraper and the other is the Tomáš Baťa Memorial, for which the city has already secured funding for restoration.

However, the region would have to repair some parts of the skyscraper even if it did not receive the grant. "Such as the repair of the paternoster (an automated passenger elevator), which is not functioning. Some elevators are outdated, and the electrical distribution cabinet also needs attention," Sukop stated. According to him, transporting people in the skyscraper is problematic; the paternosters have burned motors, and the elevators are increasingly prone to breakdowns. There are also plans for floor renovations on the third floor and the renewal of current exhibitions, as well as the establishment of new exhibits, for example, on the terrace of the 16th floor.

"The Baťa skyscraper is an architectural landmark of Zlín; it is a gem of interwar functionalism and, of course, a frequent destination for visitors from both home and abroad, which is why we want it to serve not only the public administration effectively but also the public," Sukop said.

The building was constructed in the interwar period by Jan Antonín Baťa as the administrative center of his company. The 78-meter-high skyscraper was the second tallest building in Europe upon its completion in 1938 and was among the masterpieces of interwar architecture in Czechoslovakia. The project was developed by architect Vladimír Karfík. In 2004, a year-long comprehensive reconstruction was completed at a cost of 630 million crowns. Afterwards, the regional and financial office moved into the building. The building also attracts tourists, especially the director's office in the elevator, the observation deck from the top floor, and the exhibition on Baťa's history.