Praha will prepare a study for the modification of Olšanská Street and its surroundings

Prague – Prague will commission an architectural-urban study for the transformation of Olšanská Street and its surroundings, including the extensive area of the Žižkov Cargo Station, where several investors plan residential development. The city's council approved the study's briefing today. The preparation will be handled by the City Institute of Planning and Development (IPR), which will receive approximately 2.7 million Czech crowns from the city council for this purpose.

The study will focus on Olšanská Street itself and the surrounding plots, where apartments for tens of thousands of people are expected to be built in the future. Apart from the former train station area, this includes the site of the former Telecom, which is to be demolished, where the company Central Group plans to build several high-rise buildings.

IPR will announce a public procurement for the creation of the study. According to the approved brief, the final document will include a proposal for the character and height of the buildings, the design of public spaces, and the concept of transportation connections and other infrastructure. The aim will also be to coordinate construction projects planned in the area. The contractor will initially be tasked with developing a comprehensive urban design, and subsequently, selected areas will be elaborated in greater detail.

Regarding Olšanská Street itself, the study aims to propose improvements for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as the routing of tram lines, taking into account the planned extension from Jana Želivského Street to the Žižkov Cargo Station along Malešická Street. The document is also expected to suggest improvements to the entrances to Parukářka Park at Prokopova and Pitterova Streets. The city has already commissioned a study for Táboritská and Seifertova streets, which connect to Olšanská. Their reconstruction is currently being prepared in connection with the upcoming repair of the tram line.

In recent years, a study has already been conducted for the cargo station area, serving as the basis for the proposed change in the urban plan. This will allow for the construction planned by companies such as Central Group, Penta Real Estate, or Sekyra Group. The planned development of the district, which the background study suggests could accommodate up to 15,000 residents, has been criticized by some local residents who are particularly concerned about increased traffic. Prague 3 also raised objections to the proposed change in the urban plan, which the city council and the Prague assembly are expected to approve by the end of the year.

The area around the former station covers about 33 hectares. The extensive functionalist station is planned to remain preserved according to the city's plans, with preliminary plans including a primary school and the headquarters of the National Film Archive. The building is owned by České dráhy; originally, the station was to give way to construction, but after pressure from activists, the demolition was called off, and the building has been a cultural monument since 2013.