Opava will invest 30 million CZK this year to repair the former Breda department store

Opava – This year, the Opava city hall will invest 30 million Czech crowns in the reconstruction of the former department store Breda in the city center. This amounts to one-tenth of the total estimated costs for the rescue of the heritage-protected building, which the city purchased last February and plans to renovate and repurpose. The most frequently mentioned options include a combination of commercial and non-commercial activities, such as a market, gallery, or museum. This was reported today by city hall spokesman Roman Konečný.

"In 2023, the windows in this historical building will be replaced, the facade will be repaired, and an internal construction lift will be ensured for further work. Additionally, a new water connection will be established, and the entire building will be cleared," said Konečný. He added that all activities are being consulted with preservationists. The Opava city hall will also have an electronic three-dimensional model of the former department store created for nearly 900,000 crowns, which is expected to aid in the reconstruction.

The city hall leadership has not yet precisely determined how the building will be used in the future. However, it should be a combination of commercial and non-commercial uses. A special team is working on the details. There has been talk of placing an exhibition of African culture or a gallery featuring the works of sculptor Kurt Gebauer. Part of the building is expected to be used commercially, for example, for offices or retail space. A market could also be established here.

The cultural monument, which belonged to the bankrupt company of entrepreneur Kamil Kolka, was acquired by the city for 39.5 million crowns. The total costs for the reconstruction are expected to be around 300 million crowns. The annual operating costs of the building, which spans 10,000 m², are estimated to be about 17.7 million crowns. Conversely, the city is expected to generate 15.8 million crowns from rental income and paid services. The difference would then be covered by city subsidies for building operations.

At the time of its opening in 1928, it was the largest department store in the republic.