The renovation of the Prague 10 town hall in Vršovice could begin in 2022

Prague - The complete reconstruction of the town hall building of Prague 10 on Vršovická Street could begin in 2022. The municipal district is currently preparing a project for the repairs. The town hall plans to request a loan from the magistrate for repairs amounting to half a billion crowns. Councillor Lucie Sedmihradská (Vlasta) stated this to ČTK today. The opposition TOP 09 criticized the loan from the magistrate today. The building was constructed in the 1970s and is in very poor condition; in the past, building a new town hall was considered.

The municipal district has selected the architectural office Casua, which is working on the repair project. According to the councillor, the construction documentation and the final project should be completed by the turn of this year and next year. "As soon as we have that, we will announce a tender for the contractor. If nothing gets held up, we could start, so to speak, by the end of 2022," said Sedmihradská.

At the same time, the office's management is addressing where to relocate the clerks from the building on Vršovická for approximately two years. It plans to use both spaces in its own buildings and rent from other owners. "We are currently looking for suitable places and conducting a market survey," said the councillor.

The exact cost of the repairs is still unclear. It will depend on both the project and the outcome of the tender for the contractor. The town hall intends to finance the repairs from money obtained from European funds, its own resources, and a half-billion interest-free loan from the magistrate. "We have an agreement with the magistrate and a promise that they will provide us with the funds," said Sedmihradská.

The opposition TOP 09 criticizes the loan. They are concerned that the town hall is borrowing money and incurring debt without having a complete project and knowing how much the repairs will cost. "If I borrow, I need to know how much I need. We don't understand why the municipal district is borrowing now when it doesn't know any data, prices, or timelines," said councilor Tomáš Pek (TOP 09).

Sedmihradská rejected the criticism. According to her, the opposite approach would delay the reconstruction. "We know that the repairs will be financially demanding, and it is important to have certainty about their financing. Additionally, there is no guarantee that we will have to use the entire amount," she said.

The previous leadership of Prague 10 considered options for addressing the situation with the inadequate town hall building. In addition to reconstruction, a move to a vacant school in Strašnice was also on the table. Ultimately, the municipal district decided on the reconstruction of the current building in June two years ago.

In the past, there was also a plan to build a new town hall building at an estimated cost of 775 million crowns. A parcel at Hagibor was a candidate for the location. Civic associations and the opposition condemned the project as overpriced, and it was ultimately scrapped.