Ostravica will reopen next year

Ostrava - Years of unused, dilapidated spaces in the Ostrava department store Ostravica are gradually coming to life. Workers are currently drying the building and preparing it for renovation. It is expected to reopen to the public next year, although only provisionally. The space will primarily host cultural events. In the future, the newly created cultural center should also be supplemented with more commercial projects such as a pub, cinema, or art school. Project coordinator Daniel Zeman said this today to journalists.

The first cultural events in the building, which the investor has even temporarily adjusted to ensure that there is no danger of injury to visitors, were supposed to take place this year. However, this was not achieved from a legal and administrative standpoint.

"We are working intensively to provide the building authority of the Moravská Ostrava – Přívoz district with the relevant documents to demonstrate that the spaces in the Ostravica Textiles building, where cultural events should take place, are safe," Zeman stated earlier. According to him, the authorities primarily require a construction-technical assessment and a fire safety analysis.

Jiří Kozelský, head of the construction regulations and offenses department of the central Ostrava district, confirmed to ČTK that he is in contact with the owner of the building. "The owner has been urged to carry out a number of works aimed at ensuring that the buildings do not pose a threat to the surroundings and to prevent further deterioration of the already poor construction-technical condition of the buildings," he noted. According to him, the current technical condition of the buildings does not allow them to be used.

However, this is expected to change. According to Zeman, it will take approximately four years before life fully returns to the buildings. However, he believes it is possible to use part of one building, which houses the legendary central staircase, for cultural events. The cultural center plans to host theater performances, concerts, screenings, and exhibitions. For example, Irma Kaňová took a series of photographs there. The organizers of the Move fest festival also filmed the dance movie Luxury Memories there.

According to Zeman, the buildings should in the future become a cultural, educational, social, and entertainment center. "But we want to take a different path. We want commercially viable spaces like a restaurant, cinema, or art school to help fund the operation of the cultural center. Then it would not have to fear where it would get money for utilities or rent," Zeman said. He also wants to involve the public in the project. "Ostravica survived thanks to the interest of the people. I believe that thanks to this interest, we will be able to gradually resuscitate this old lady," he stated.