The new building at the corner of Wenceslas Square has a building permit

Prague - As of today, the developer has a valid building permit for the new construction at the corner of Wenceslas Square and Opletalova Street. The landowner, Flow East, plans to have the structural work completed by the autumn of next year. Metrostav, which won the tender, will construct the building. Completion of the structure, whose foundations consist of a bridge over the tubes of the Prague metro, is expected in early 2020. This was stated today by the project manager of Flow East, Tomáš Matýsek.

The new building in the upper half of Wenceslas Square has been planned by the company for many years. It also owns the Jalta hotel, which is adjacent to the site for the new building. However, the new building will exclusively offer office and commercial spaces. The intention to build the new house has elicited negative reactions from the outset, but this is always the case when attempting to build in the center of Prague.

In the preparations for the construction of the Flower House, as the investor calls the project, civil associations, some experts, and frequently conflicting decisions from officials have intervened. A key factor was the Ministry of Culture's refusal to declare the building at the corner of Wenceslas Square and Opletalova Street as a cultural monument; critics argue that this decision was primarily made out of fear of arbitration due to a thwarted investment. The developer based its approach on previous decisions by authorities that allowed for the future realization of the project.

After last year's demolition and preparatory work involving archaeological oversight, construction of the building with nine above-ground and three underground floors is beginning. In addition to the building authority, preservationists, archaeologists, and owners of surrounding buildings, the company also negotiated with the metro designer, Metroprojekt, as another partner in the preparation of the construction. "The foundation of the building essentially involves bridging the metro tubes, which are located ten to 15 meters below the future foundations of the building," says Matýsek. A tunnel runs across the construction site between the Můstek and Muzeum stations. "We regularly monitor the metro and surrounding buildings and survey them geodetically, and I can confirm that there have been no movements in their structures," added a company representative.

Company representatives, who also own several historic buildings in downtown Prague, believe that despite the distrust of some groups of people, they will be able to enhance the junction of Opletalova Street into Wenceslas Square for both locals and tourists, contributing together with the reconstruction of the National Museum to the revitalization of Wenceslas Square.