Prague will change the zoning plan due to the National Library in Letná

Prague - The Prague City Hall intends to change the zoning plan for the location of the new building of the National Library in Letná. Part of the planned construction, which must adhere to strict conditions due to the construction of the city ring road, may therefore affect the current parking area where buses are parked. This was stated to journalists today by Svetlana Kubíková, the director of the city hall's development department. The library building would be located between Milady Horákové Street, Badeniho, Na Špejchaře, and Letenské sady.
    The land designated for the library is also partially occupied by a tram loop, which is not in permanent use. Nevertheless, according to Kubíková, the city hall will have to start working on a traffic solution for the situation in the surrounding area. The construction of the library should also be followed by a competition or study addressing the use of the entire Letná plain area. The city council expects that a recreational and sports area would be created here.
    The National Library announced a design competition for the new building in May of last year. The construction is expected to be completed by 2010. Out of several hundred applicants, eight progressed to the next round in October, and the winner should be known according to Kubíková around the turn of February and March. The city hall intends to sell the land covering almost 12,000 square meters, where the library is to be located, to the library for 31.5 million crowns. Its market value is nearly twice as high.
    The new building of the National Library aims to solve the long-term spatial problems of this institution. The new facility is expected to house the majority of library collections created after 1800.
    According to calculations from 2004, the total planned costs for the construction of the library are approximately 1.8 billion crowns.