Prague plans to announce a competition for the future use of the Old Town Market Hall

Prague - Prague plans to announce a competition aimed at finding a new use for the Old Town Market Hall, closed for over four years, located between Rytířská and 28. října streets. Adam Zábranský (Pirates), the city councilor for property, stated this to ČTK. During the previous electoral term, the city planned to renovate the building for about half a billion crowns, but this was abandoned due to high costs. According to Zábranský, the objective of the so-called competitive dialogue will now be to find a suitable solution in cooperation with potential operators of the market hall.

In early 2020, the city hall closed the heritage-listed building from the late 19th century due to planned reconstruction, which was subsequently awarded for 429.9 million crowns without VAT. The price and nature of the tender were criticized by the Pirates, and as a result, the city leadership ultimately did not approve the awarding of the contract. Since then, the space has remained closed to the public.

The city leadership now wants to change this; according to Zábranský, a working group has been formed with representatives from the city hall, Prague 1, reconstruction designers, and the city’s Institute of Planning and Development. The goal is to announce a so-called competitive dialogue that allows for gradual adjustments of ideas regarding the building's future function, the economic model of its operation, and especially the financing of the reconstruction, for which the city aims to secure the operator's participation.

Currently, the estimated cost for repairs is between 600 to 700 million crowns, according to the councilor. According to Zábranský, the advantage of the competitive dialogue is that, unlike previous approaches, it directly involves those interested in operating the marketplace in the solution proposal, providing a clearer idea of the building's usability and market potential. "The path that Prague tried in the past, where a renovation would be done first and only then would an operator be sought, does not seem to us to be the most suitable," said the councilor.

He added that, according to current plans, the city could start the competitive dialogue at the beginning of the second half of this year, taking about a year. Initially, in collaboration with the interested participants, a plan for the use, reconstruction, and economic functioning of the market hall would be developed, followed by the selection of an operator.

The market hall was built between 1894 and 1897 according to the design of architect Jindřich Fialka, who was particularly inspired by Paris. Its original form was significantly affected by insensitive additions during the previous regime. Similarly designed markets operate in places such as Barcelona, Dresden, Budapest, and Berlin.