Prague will pay 2.4 million for consulting regarding the headquarters of the magistrate

Prague - Prague will order legal services concerning the future seat of the city hall for 2.4 million crowns. Lawyers will advise the city whether, after 2028, it should keep employees in the rented Škodův Palace in the city center, or whether it should rather buy or build its own building. This was revealed to ČTK from a non-public document that the city council is supposed to discuss.

An analysis by the Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) showed that the most suitable location for the city hall is a plot on Knížecí in Prague 5, at the site of the current bus terminal. Other considered locations include Florenc, the Electric Company, and the Palace of Culture (now the Congress Center Prague), as described by IPR.

Mayor Adriana Krnáčová (ANO) recently stated that the city is currently not considering purchasing Škodův Palace. The materials intended for the council indicate that an early exit from the lease, which the city leadership has been talking about as overpriced for years, is not on the agenda either.

The palace, where most city hall officials are located, has been rented by Prague since 2006 for the original amount of 4.4 billion crowns. In the past, the city filed two lawsuits against the owner, the company Copa Retail, due to the high rent. However, it was unsuccessful in court. A recent agreement granted Prague a discount on the rent. However, it committed to several concessions, among others losing the option right and extending the lease agreement by 18 months. The long-term rental of Škodův Palace will thus end in 2028.