Jičín is asking people if they would like to build houses in the barracks

Jičín - The town hall in Jičín today initiated a survey to assess whether there would be interest among residents in building family homes on the site of the former barracks. The results of the survey will be used by the city leadership to decide what to do with the five-hectare barracks area near the city center. Adéla Rulfová, the spokesperson for the town hall, said this to ČTK. The town hall has been discussing the possible uses of the barracks for several years.
Residents are encouraged to send their responses to the survey by January 17 at the latest. The town hall stated that the serviced building plots for family homes would be sold at a price customary for the area and time, or potentially at market value.
The town hall had previously announced a tender for the rental and sale of the barracks, which was won by the Písek company Czech development. However, the council did not approve the contracts with the firm just before the October elections last year. The new council has not yet made a decision either. According to Rulfová, the councilors would like to decide the fate of the barracks by the end of January.
According to a previous statement by Mayor Martin Puš (ODS), three options for the use of the barracks are being considered. The first option is to confirm the company Czech development and approve the already prepared contracts. The company planned to build approximately 300 apartments in the barracks. The second option is for the city to undertake the construction of infrastructure and subsequent sale of plots and properties in the area itself. The third option is to announce a new tender for an investor.
After the elections, the party TOP 09 voiced a significant opinion on the project for the use of the barracks as a member of the town hall coalition. According to TOP 09, the tender should be canceled and the city should undertake the revitalization of the barracks itself. Deputy Mayor Tomáš Frýba (TOP 09) estimated that by selling the area for building family houses, the city could gradually earn several tens of millions of crowns. Selling to the company Czech development would yield about seven million crowns.
Originally, the barracks were supposed to be redeveloped by the American company Global Resources. According to an agreement from October 2006, they were to transform the site at a cost of more than two billion crowns into a complex with apartments, hotels, shops, a conference center, an ice rink, and a sanatorium. However, the firm did not meet the deadlines and contractual commitments, and the town hall terminated cooperation with them in 2008.