The former Ponas in Polička will become a shopping center

Polička – The former site of Ponas in Polička near Svitavy is being purchased by a developer, who will build a shopping center there. The city hall refused to buy the site, as its revitalization would be costly for them. This was stated by Mayor Jaroslav Martinů.

The city hall had documents prepared to assess whether it would be worthwhile to build apartments or a parking garage there. According to the mayor, the costs were too high. Even including the purchase price of the area, one square meter of residential unit would cost 70,000 crowns.

"Another disadvantage of the administrative building is that it is located by the main road, which is not ideal for living. And if we were to build a parking garage and similar, it would incur costs of up to a quarter of a billion crowns," Martinů said.

Most councilors ultimately decided that the city would not purchase the site for 35 million crowns excluding VAT. The opposition Pirates criticized the city's decision. According to councilor Štěpán Vlček (independent for the Pirates), the construction of the shopping center will depopulate the city center, and local entrepreneurs will lose part of their revenue.

"The location of the site is very strategic, it offers opportunities for further development of the city," Vlček said at the council meeting. He suggested, for example, utilizing the site for shared offices, and there could also be a small park, Vlček added.

KOH-I-NOOR Ponas offered the site to the city because it was relocating to another part of the city at the turn of the year, where it purchased an old factory from Milacron.

The developer has entered into a purchase agreement with the owner of Ponas, and the property will be transferred in a few months. The center is expected to open by the end of 2022. It will include a supermarket, a drugstore, a pet store, and an electronics shop.

"This will be a new construction. Before that, we will completely demolish the entire area. Retail is so specific that the existing buildings do not meet the requirements of our future tenants," said Jindřich Kukačka, managing director of KPD Group. A company called RP Polička was created for the development project.

According to Kukačka, the buildings will resemble the usual retail park formats, single-story structures up to seven meters high. However, there will be more greenery in the surrounding area. "The site will not be just metal; there will be green areas, benches, and relaxation zones. Lots of glass surfaces to make it modern, visually appealing, and warm colors. We are quite particular about greenery in our centers," Kukačka said.