Revitalization of the Zlín Baťa skyscraper will cost 82 million CZK

Zlín - The regional councilors approved the revitalization of the Baťa skyscraper in Zlín, which houses the regional office along with the tax office. The investment will require 82.4 million Czech korunas, and EU subsidies as well as funds from the state budget could cover up to 90 percent of the total costs, said Governor Jiří Čunek (KDU-ČSL) to reporters today. Construction renovations are expected to start in June and will last until December of this year, while the building remains fully operational.

The revitalization will be divided into six parts. "These include the restoration of the paternoster, adjustments to the exhibition on the second floor, restoration of the floors on the third floor, reconstruction of the low-voltage distribution board, construction modifications to the entrance of the building, and modernization of the elevators," Čunek stated.

The building was constructed between 1936 and 1938 based on the design by Vladimír Karfík, commissioned by Jan Antonín Baťa as a new headquarters for the Baťa company. The 78-meter tall skyscraper was then the second tallest building in Europe, belonging to the peak works of interwar architecture in Czechoslovakia. Between 2003 and 2004, the building underwent a complete renovation. "It may look new, but unfortunately the elevators often get stuck, and people are left hanging between floors, which happens quite frequently," said Čunek.

The building also attracts tourists, particularly the executive office with its elevator, the viewing platform on the top floor, and the exhibition about Baťa's history.