Investor today presented the underground garage project in Brno

The underground of the Vegetable Market (current state).

Brno - The construction of underground garages at the Vegetable Market in the center of Brno, according to investors, will not threaten either the historic cellars or the significant monument of the Parnas fountain. The total investment into 58 parking spaces, of which 33 are intended for the public, is expected to exceed 60 million crowns. The controversial project was presented to journalists today by the investors.
    There has been a significant outcry against the project. The civic association 4AM-Forum for Architecture and Media sent an open letter to the Minister of Culture on Tuesday, warning him about the risks of the project. The letter was signed by 49 experts and supported by 1700 people on the social network Facebook. According to co-author of the regulatory plan for the city heritage reserve Josef Němec, the construction is contrary to the regulatory plan of the city of Brno. He claims it will introduce additional traffic into the historic square, which will pass through uncontrollably. He also believes that the traditional markets in the square would be disrupted.
    The construction of underground garages might also threaten the opening of the historic underground, which is planned for next year. "At the same time, the organizers of the garage spaces are considering starting construction work," stated expert on the Brno underground issue Aleš Svoboda. According to him, the project is developing and changing in a dizzying way. "Even the current version has not convinced me that the Parnas fountain would be secured and that the Brno underground would not suffer harm," Svoboda added.
    The construction of underground parking is intended by the company Magnum Real Estate and the owners of the newly emerging Classis hotel, which is to have the entrance to the garages in its immediate vicinity. According to Jaroslav Dokoupil, a managing director of Arch.Design, the company designing the construction, underground garages have already been built in several historic cities. Among others, he mentioned Paris, Barcelona, Vienna, and Salzburg. "The question is whether we want the historic core of the city to be lived in, or whether we will turn it into a preserved open-air museum," Dokoupil stated. According to him, permanent residency is to return to the center of Brno after years in which it primarily served for work and commercial opportunities. The existence of parking spaces, which are lacking in Brno, is a prerequisite for this step. In recent years, only one parking house has been built near the center, and some other realizations are in preparation; other parking lots are only at the intention stage.
    The construction of the garages was originally supported by the city councilors. In mid-July, they agreed to a simplified zoning procedure. The number of cars parking at the Vegetable Market was mentioned by the people in the survey as one of the main shortcomings of the square. The city's leadership is now waiting for the results of the zoning proceedings. If a more serious problem arises during the proceedings, they want to stop the construction.
    According to Robert Juřík from Arch.Design, the garages will be built in two phases. The square, where vendors traditionally sell their products, is to remain operational even during construction. About 50 to 60 percent of the market area will be available. The construction is expected to take a year and a half. A ramp with access to the garages is planned to be near the Cyril and Methodius Savings Bank building and the future Classis hotel. A total of 25 spots are to serve the hotel, while 33 others are intended for rental. "We will rent the spaces at market prices," stated Miroslav Vymazal, managing director of Magnum Real Estate. According to him, the construction will be costly. "We would rather rent already existing parking spaces, but such an opportunity does not exist in the center of Brno," he added.