The owner of the World Palace can receive a fine of up to 2 million from Prague 8

Prague - The owner of the dilapidated Svět Palace in Prague's Libeň faces a fine of up to two million for violating legal regulations. The case was addressed today by the construction department of Prague 8, which met with the owner's legal representative. This was reported to ČTK by Prague 8 spokeswoman Helena Šmídová.
    The building's owner, Italian businessman Antonio Crispino, according to the construction department of Prague 8, likely violated regulations, among other things, by not having a construction manager present at the site or failing to keep a construction diary. "The owner's legal representative commented on the situation. We will assess everything and issue a decision in about a month," said Petr Lindourek from the construction department of Prague 8 to ČTK.
    The legal representative also submitted a modified plan of what the owner intends to build in the palace. Apartments and office spaces are to be reconstructed here.
    Talks about the renovation of the palace began back in 2006, when the city council approved a renovation study. Since then, however, the reconstruction has not advanced significantly. "As a municipal district, we can't do much about it. We are pressuring the owner, along with the building department, to explain his intentions regarding the building where nothing is happening," said Prague 8 councilor Tomáš Slabihoudek (TOP 09) to ČTK. It is said that even the last two tenants who lived there have already moved out.
    The Svět Palace was built in the 1930s by builder František Havlen. The building is founded below the level of the groundwater in a lead bath. The complex consists of a residential and commercial building with two basements and a cinema. The first floor housed a restaurant, café, and gaming room. On the ground floor was a buffet that writer Bohumil Hrabal described in his short story collection Automat Svět. The palace was damaged by a flood in 2002 and has been a cultural monument since 2003.