The project with apartments at the Cargo Station Žižkov must change

Prague - The urban study that anticipates the construction of apartments at the Žižkov Freight Station must be changed. The Council of the Prague 3 City District, where the station is located, adopted a resolution last week expressing its disapproval of the original urban study. The Prague 3 City District Office informed ČTK about it today.
    The Council wants the new version of the urban study to include a direct extension of Olšanská Street towards the east, thus creating a direct connection between Olšanská Street and the Jarov Connection corridor beyond U Nákladového nádraží Street.
    By changing the urban study, the construction of apartments and an administrative complex at the station is delayed, as a change to the zoning plan is necessary for construction in the southern part of the station. This process can take up to two years and cannot proceed without an approved urban study.
    The original urban study involved, in addition to the city district, Czech Railways, Discovery Group, and RailReal. In March, based on a tender, the southern part of the station was awarded to Sekyra Group, which had no involvement in the original urban study at all.
    The developer Sekyra Group, along with ČD, plans to build apartments and an administrative center at the station. Both companies plan to conclude a contract for the establishment of a joint venture within three months. However, they cannot start construction until the zoning plan for the southern part of the station is changed. Sekyra Group could start building on the property only in 2010.
    The city hall is concerned that the builders will not wait for the change in the zoning decision and will begin construction without it. So far, no one has requested a change to the zoning plan from the city council of Prague.
    Sekyra Group is supposed to cooperate with the railways in the modification of the 16-hectare plot. About four hectares of the northern part of the Žižkov station, along with a project for a multifunctional ČD center, were sold two years ago for 136 million crowns to a consortium of companies including Discovery Group and Grainger Trust. The companies gradually acquired an additional eight hectares.