Prague wants to reassess the project for the completion of the Industrial Palace

Prague - Prague wants to limit the project for the completion of the Industrial Palace. It is negotiating with the architectural office Cigler Marani Architects, which designed the project. This was stated today by councilor Václav Novotný (TOP 09) at the finance committee. Prague is struggling with a lack of funds for investments due to declining revenues. The city had previously estimated the cost of completing the palace at 1.6 billion crowns, and the preparation of project documentation would cost additional tens to hundreds of millions.
     According to the councilor, the contract with the architectural office envisions extensive reconstruction "for enormous money." "I am in negotiations with the office on the topic of a fundamental reduction," Novotný said. According to him, there is no need for additional exhibition spaces to be built under the palace. The city should also abandon the construction of an underpass under the Industrial Palace, he said. Novotný told ČTK that the costs for reconstruction would amount to about 500 million crowns with the project being scaled down.
     The proposal that Jakub Cigler's office won the competition with included not only the completion of the palace but also the solution of the surroundings of this monument. The facilities of the palace were to be modeled on the Paris Louvre in the underpass of the palace. The underpass would lead people to the Křižík Fountain. The city was to pay 166 million crowns for the preparation of the project documentation. Prague has allocated 41 million crowns in the budget for next year for the completion of the palace, and it is likely to transfer another 30 million from this year.
     The Industrial Palace was built for the Jubilee Land Exhibition, which took place from May to October 1891. It is listed as part of the Exhibition Grounds, which has been completely protected as a cultural monument since the 1950s. In October 2008, a massive fire damaged the palace. The building has not yet been completed.