Jičín will lower the price for the barracks, wants to convert them into a social services house

Jičín - The city of Jičín will reduce the selling price for two buildings of the former barracks by 40 percent to 11.7 million crowns. The city hall believes that with the reduced price it will find a buyer who would convert the barracks into a residential facility for social services for seniors or people with disabilities with at least 70 beds. This was stated by city officials to journalists today. The price reduction and the announcement of a selection procedure must still be approved by the councilors.

In the previous selection procedure, the city requested about 19 million crowns for the barracks buildings and the land. No one applied for the selection procedure, but outside the tender, the city received an offer from the Prague company Senior Holding to purchase for about 8.5 million crowns. "Before announcing a new tender for the sale of the buildings, the city did not negotiate with the company," said Mayor Jan Malý (ANO).

The city wants to announce a new selection procedure for the sale at the beginning of July, and clarity about a potential new owner could come in September. In addition to the condition of using the buildings for social service facilities for at least 15 years, the city also has the condition that the new owner preserves the facades of the houses and the shape of the roofs facing the lime alley during the reconstruction.

Five years ago, the city demolished most of the barracks buildings, leaving only the two outer buildings closest to the city center. The area left by the previously demolished barracks buildings, covering eight hectares, the city wants to use for the construction of a new residential neighborhood.

An urban study for the use of the site was previously made for the city by the Cuboid Architects studio. The study particularly envisions family houses in the area of the former barracks, with a smaller proportion of apartment buildings. In the center of the area, the architects proposed a kindergarten. There will be restrictions in the area to ensure that the new construction flows seamlessly into the existing development in Čeřovka and along the line of the well-known Jičín lime alley.

Originally, private investors were supposed to exclusively redevelop the barracks area. However, neither of the two attempts to hand over the entire barracks to private individuals was fulfilled, and the city decided in 2011 to continue the revitalization on its own. The city has already completed the first phase of transforming the area, which was the demolition of the barracks buildings.