Possible demolition of Teska must be preceded by a permit for new construction

PRAGUE - Before a possible demolition of the Tesco department store on Národní Street in Prague 1, a building permit must be issued for the construction of a new building that would replace it. This was stated this week by the municipal commission for urban development, informed ČTK its chairman Filip Dvořák (ODS). However, Tesco Stores ČR has previously stated that it does not want to demolish the building. They are reportedly preparing an extensive renovation.
The commission addressed the matter based on a request for an opinion regarding the intention to demolish this building. The request was submitted to the municipality by the design office representing Tesco. They justified it by stating that the current building is outdated. By 2010, it could supposedly be replaced by a new multifunctional building.
According to Dvořák, the municipal commission wants any new building to follow immediately after a possible demolition. It would not be appropriate, in his opinion, for the land to remain vacant for an extended period. The size of the new building should arise from a public competition, the chairman added.
Tesco spokesman Vesselin Barliev previously described speculation about the possible demolition of the building as a misunderstanding or miscommunication. According to him, the retail chain is considering its renovation and modernization in the long term, while still in operation. The renovation may also include the building's exterior facade.
The Máj department store, now Tesco, was completed in 1975. The building was created according to the designs of architects Miroslav Masák, John Eisler, and Martin Rajniš on the site of the neo-Gothic Šlik Palace.