Pardubice Region confirmed interest in purchasing the protected Automatic Mills

Svitavy - The representatives of the Pardubice Region today approved the intent to purchase the main part of the Winternitz Automatic Mills in Pardubice from a private owner. In the future, the regional authority aims to use the premises for the needs of the regional East Bohemian Gallery. The representatives also tasked the regional councilors with forming a working group that will continue negotiations with the owner on this matter.

The Automatic Mills, which are a national cultural monument, were purchased last March by Lukáš Smetana and his wife from the Goodmills company. The real estate company Naxos offered the mills on its website at a recommended price of 25 million crowns, but the actual price could have been lower. Smetana originally intended to rent the site to the region, but now he is offering the multi-story main building for 35 million crowns. The price also includes the project documentation for reconstruction into a gallery worth about two million crowns.

The technical monument, adapted for gallery needs, should provide the institution with the opportunity to hold large international exhibition projects, as well as offer comfort to visitors. Currently, the East Bohemian Gallery is located in the economic wing of the Pardubice Castle, and it also has the House U Jonáše on Pernštýnské náměstí available for exhibitions. The spaces in the castle should eventually be vacated for the East Bohemian Museum.

The Pardubice Region could utilize a European subsidy from the Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI) program of the Hradec-Pardubice agglomeration for the purchase of the property. The contribution for the purchase of the property is limited to 15 percent of the total eligible project costs.

Pardubice plans to have polytechnic workshops for elementary schools in the mill space. The plan to place a gallery there should not be in conflict with that.