Plzeň continues the reconstruction of the cultural and creative center DEPO2015

Plzeň - Plzeň continues the reconstruction of the main part of the cultural and creative center DEPO2015. This year, it will repair the roof of the extensive bus hall for 40 million crowns, where concerts, exhibitions, and conferences are held. This will be followed by window replacement and insulation. However, the new city leadership has postponed the project of comprehensive repairs of the former trolleybus and bus garages, which costs more than one billion crowns. The overall adaptation project of one of the largest brownfields in the city will be modified, divided into phases, and developers who are building or planning apartments and offices in the area are expected to participate in infrastructure investments. This was stated by Deputy Mayor Pavel Bosák (Pirates).

For this year, the city plans to reconstruct the roof. Additional funds will be allocated for the adaptation of the original project so that it does not require the reconstruction of Presslova Street. Developers are expected to be involved in this. According to Bosák, the project has also been changed so that, for example, the new drainage of the depot does not require a large pumping station at the end of Presslova Street, but the drainage will run above the intersection above the depot. If the city does not reconstruct Presslova Street on its own, the repair of the depot will cost more than 200 million CZK in three years.

According to the deputy mayor, the reworking of the project does not delay the schedule for the repairs of roofs, facades, and drainage. It will depend on the economic situation and the state of the city budget. "If the situation is favorable, we will invest more in the reconstruction. We have divided it so that we do not have to make fundamental decisions as in the past, where we would have to prepare 1.5 billion all at once for a huge reconstruction, but we can speed up or slow down the process operationally," Bosák stated.

The project to restore the main hall, which has priority, has a building permit and the roof repair will begin soon. "We have divided the investment into the roof, windows, facade, and interiors. And the same for the second building," Bosák said. Depending on the amount of available funds from the budget or grants, the city will gradually increase the repaired parts.

The previous leadership of Plzeň was preparing the reconstruction of both parts of the bus hall for the years 2023 to 2025. The main part of the funding for the first phase of 520 million CZK was to be obtained from the ministries of culture and regional development a year ago. A hall for 1200 people and a center for creative industries were to be established there. DEPO2015 opened in 2015 when Plzeň was the European Capital of Culture. In normal years, it attracts a quarter of a million visitors annually. Concerts, markets, festivals, lectures, and conferences are held in the bus hall. Its second part includes a prototype center, workshops, offices, and studios.