Part of the Slezanka shopping center in the center of Opava is awaiting demolition

Opava – The unattractive panel commercial center Slezanka in the historical center of Opava is set to be demolished next year. It will be replaced by several residential buildings and a hall with an outdoor amphitheater. Roman Konečný, the city's spokesman, said this today. The future of Slezanka, part of which the city purchased from a private owner in 2008 for 270 million crowns, has been a topic of discussion in Opava for several recent election periods. There have been long-term difficulties in renting or selling the spaces. Attempts to rebuild it also did not succeed.

"We considered several options including reconstruction. Just securing the structural integrity of the existing Slezanka would cost about 20 million crowns. Its conversion is therefore uneconomical. We have decided to demolish the municipal part of Slezanka next year and, after an archaeological survey, build several residential buildings here, inspired by the pre-war residential construction on Horní náměstí," said Mayor Tomáš Navrátil (ANO).

According to him, a small square with an entrance to a new multifunctional hall, which Opava lacks, as well as needed facilities and an outdoor amphitheater for smaller events under the open sky, will be constructed in the area of today's theater club. Private developers will build the residential buildings, while the city will construct the hall. There are also plans for a two-level underground parking garage beneath the new development.

The future of Slezanka has been a topic in Opava for several recent election periods. The former city leadership commissioned a study. According to it, the building should have multifunctional uses, both commercial and recreational. The current city leadership has included Slezanka among strategic projects and formed a project team. Independently, they have been exploring both the utilization of the Slezanka building by the city and its sale or lease.

Slezanka has three parts according to the owners. One part belongs to the city and should be demolished. The second part is co-owned by the city, which is negotiating with other owners about its sale. This part would then also be demolished. The third part belongs to private owners, who may consider whether they want to participate in the project.

Slezanka shopping center is a panel building constructed on the site where ancient brewing houses stood in the 17th century. The block, resembling housing estates, connects to the historical development of the center and neighbors the Gothic cathedral. The building has long been a problem for the city hall. The previous city leadership purchased the property in the central Horní náměstí from a private owner in 2008. At that time, city representatives expressed willingness to invest in repairing the building or demolishing it and constructing a new center. The city took a loan of 270 million crowns to pay for the purchase price.

The department store was then almost vacant for a long time, and it wasn't until 2012 that an interested party for its operation was found. However, it long remained difficult to rent out the spaces. The city eventually agreed to sell it to a development company. A new shopping center was to be established there. The contract for its construction was signed by the previous city leadership with the developer in 2015.

However, the preparations dragged on, and ultimately the opinion prevailed that the shopping center should not be built. The construction of the nearby shopping center Breda & Weinstein also influenced this change. On an area of over 25,000 square meters, it offers spaces for more than 100 shops, a multiplex cinema with six screens, restaurants, and a café. After an agreement, the developer backed out of the plan. Since then, the city hall has been addressing what to do next with Slezanka.