The Liberec Region wants to build a parking house next to its headquarters, even though it will be more expensive

Liberec - The Liberec region wants to build a parking house next to its headquarters, even though it will be approximately 30 percent more expensive than what the project planners estimated last autumn. The region is preparing a new public tender for the parking house and the modification of the riverbank with a maximum price of 236.5 million crowns excluding VAT. However, the intention must first be discussed by the regional council, which needs to approve an additional 42 million crowns from the regional budget for the construction. Liberec's governor Martin Půta (Mayors for the Liberec Region) said this in response to a query from ČTK today.

"We believe that it is not possible to stop the project because the current state of the surroundings of the regional office is unsustainable and does not serve its function," Půta said. He also admitted that at this moment it is uncertain whether they will be able to find a supplier the second time around. According to him, the situation is unpredictable. However, regional councilors rejected the option of waiting for an improvement in the construction market. "I don't think it is generally possible to halt investments in the public sector, that would be another blow to the economy, construction is one of the significant sectors of the economy," he added.

The Liberec region announced a public tender for the construction of the parking house with an estimated price of 183 million CZK excluding VAT last autumn; seven companies applied, and the contract was won by BAK with a bid of 162 million crowns. However, the company immediately announced that it was unable to start construction and complete it on time given the developments in the construction market. Subsequently, all other applicants also declined the contract, citing a shortage of steel and high prices exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. Therefore, according to Půta, the region had to cancel the tender.

The Liberec region wants to build a parking house with 244 car spaces next to its headquarters, of which one hundred is intended for the public. The steel structure with a green roof was originally planned to begin construction this April and be completed in a year. If a supplier can be found in the new tender, the region intends to start construction this year; according to the governor, it must be completed by the end of next year, as the region has obtained 85 million from European funds for the construction. If the project is not completed in time, it will lose the grant, which will cover about one-third of the costs.

The construction of the parking house is the next phase of the renewal of the surroundings of the regional office. The neighboring buildings and land were purchased by the Liberec region from VÚTS (formerly the Research Institute of Textile Machines) in 2014. They paid 125 million crowns for the area of more than 11,000 square meters. They converted the former administrative building into the European House for 97 million crowns, and two years ago, builders completed the reconstruction of the former workshop building for approximately 390 million crowns. A business incubator was established there, a vaccination center operated there during the COVID pandemic, and since March 1, it has served as the Regional Assistance Center for Ukraine (KACPU).