Plzeň is negotiating with the Italian owner about the use of the dilapidated spa

Plzeň - Plzeň has begun negotiations after years with the Italian owner, the company TWB Praha, about the use of the devastated former municipal baths, a protected heritage site and a dominant feature of the central waterfront. It has been in disrepair for 23 years, and for the last four years, it has hosted a paintball field. This was stated by the mayor Martin Zrzavecký (ČSSD).

"I met with Mr. Cardoselli (Pierluigi, managing director of TWB) for the first time and clarified our positions. It is mutually beneficial that the building is reconstructed and serves a function, whatever that may be. It does not bring anything to the city now," he stated. The owner of TWB was receptive to this since he is a businessman and has significant money invested in the property. In the coming days, they will go there together with architects and other experts.

"We will look at the plans and discuss whether the city can be a partner and under what conditions," he noted. It is still premature to talk about whether it could also be a financial partner. "If the political leadership approves, our roles could vary. We could somehow utilize the enormous capacity of approximately 22,000 square meters," he stated.

Cardoselli owns more luxurious apartments in Prague, which could potentially be built in some parts of the baths, according to Zrzavecký.

However, the area still has a valid zoning decision that considers multi-functional use of the property. "It reflects the period when it was created, and it is questionable whether it can be fulfilled in the current context considering the trends in construction and life in Plzeň," the mayor stated. In response to a question from ČTK about whether the city is negotiating to purchase the property, he mentioned that "various options are on the table." According to ČTK information, the owner of the baths would not be opposed to a sale.

The original plan of TWB from 2010 was to convert the former Czechoslovak baths into apartments, offices, a hotel, restaurants, and wellness facilities for 300 to 500 million CZK. A generous hall with a pool was to serve as a wellness and fitness center for 250 people. There were to be 200 parking spaces underground.

When opened in 1932, these were the most modern baths in then Czechoslovakia, designed by Prague architect Bedřich Bendlmayer. The property with two pools was privatized in 1994 by a private owner who later went bankrupt. In 2001, it was purchased for ten million crowns by Amádeus Real, which also owns the adjacent 2.4 hectares of land where they wanted to build a giant shopping center. Both a referendum and the city hall rejected it, and the developer is now suing the city, seeking 1.85 billion CZK in damages for the unimplemented project. Amádeus initially negotiated the sale of the baths with the city and the region, which wanted to establish a gallery there. Ultimately, the building was purchased by TWB.