Prague will buy the Žižkov Freight Station building from Czech Railways for 1.43 billion crowns

Prague - Prague will buy the Žižkov freight railway station building along with adjacent lands from Czech Railways (ČD) for approximately 1.43 billion crowns including VAT. This was approved by the city representatives last night. The city plans to extensively renovate the historically protected building and transform it into a center with spaces for culture, an educational campus, residential units, and offices. The transaction also includes the land necessary for the construction of a tram line that will connect the newly created district in the station's area to public transport.

The former station building and the corresponding land are owned by ČD, which previously established a joint venture with the development company Sekyra Group for the purpose of developing the area. As a result, the company has a right of first refusal on parcels south of the station building, where it intends to build apartments. Until recently, it also had the right to acquire the station, which it recently relinquished after negotiations with Prague and ČD in exchange for guarantees from the city that it would not lose the opportunity to build apartments to the planned extent.

In the extensive land around the station, a new district with up to 15,000 residents will be created in the future, and the development company Central Group has already begun building apartments there. In addition to it and Sekyra Group, companies like Penta and Finep are also planning to build there. The station building is expected to house public amenities for the new district, such as a school, but according to the city's finance councilor Zdeněk Kovářík (ODS), it should largely serve commercial rentals to ensure adequate revenue for the city.

The city councilor for property Adam Zábranský (Pirates) stated that various studies for the building's use have been created in the past, and interest has been expressed by, for example, the National Film Archive. However, he noted that the economic aspects also need to be addressed; thus, the council has tasked the municipal property department, in collaboration with the city company Trade Centre Praha, which will oversee the property, to prepare a business model for the future operation of the building by the end of March.

The city plans to construct a tram line about two kilometers long in the station area, connecting the district to Jana Želivského Street from the west and to Jarov from the east. It will partially utilize existing railway tracks. The transport company plans to start construction on the line next year, and the land acquired from ČD will facilitate the construction. The new Jarovská Street will then connect the district to the planned section of the inner ring road and ease traffic on Jana Želivského Street.

The functionalist building of the Žižkov freight railway station was built between 1934 and 1937 according to the designs of architects Karel Caivas and Vladimír Weiss, and it has been a protected monument since 2013. The granting of protection was preceded by long-standing struggles of local residents and activists against the developers' intention to demolish the building. The building is now largely empty, housing several businesses and an art studio. The station ceased its original function in 2002, and the relevant railway line was officially canceled at the beginning of 2016.