<Praha 8 will redesign the Palmovka Center project, modifying the interior spaces.</P>

Prague - Prague 8 will revise the project of the Palmovka Centre, which will house the municipal office. The originally proposed layout does not meet the current city hall administration's needs, as it lacks specially adapted offices. Roman Petrus (ČSSD), the mayor, said this today to ČTK. The building will also house the emergency service of the capital city. The project was the subject of disputes between Prague 8, the city hall, and the construction company Metrostav, but a deal has finally been reached. The emergency service will occupy half of the area, which will be adjusted for its needs. The rest will be the office of Prague 8 and commercial spaces.

"We are already sitting down on the project and finding out how it can be modified. Fortunately, in most cases, it is about changes in the layout of partitions. The emergency service will then take care of its part," said Petrus.

According to the mayor, the city hall needs some specifically adjusted rooms that were not considered in the original project. For example, the social department requires special offices where officials can meet with children. Some officials also need to be separated from visitors with unbreakable glass. "This was not considered earlier, and offices were just 'crammed' in there," said Petrus.

After its completion, officials from the so-called white house on U Meteoru Street or from the Krakow Centre will move into the building. The office is currently located in seven locations.

In addition to the new building, the city hall will also have new spaces in the back part of the Libeň Castle, which houses the leadership of the municipal district. The city hall is now seeking a company in a tender that will carry out the construction. Costs are estimated at 63 million crowns. There could be a museum of Prague 8 in the front part of the castle.

The building at Palmovka was originally constructed by the municipal district as its headquarters. The construction of the center, costing more than 1.1 billion crowns, was approved by Prague 8 in 2010, and construction began in 2014. Currently, construction work is halted due to disputes. In recent weeks, the city hall has agreed with Prague 8 to provide a subsidy of 600 million crowns and simultaneously place the emergency service in the building. The emergency service was originally supposed to have a new building in Troja, but the local city hall opposed it.