Schubert's villa will be transformed by Hrádek nad Nisou into a community center

Hrádek nad Nisou - The town of Hrádek nad Nisou wants to transform the listed Schubert Villa into a community center that will provide facilities for local associations and non-profit organizations. The massive villa from the 1930s served, for example, as a nursery. In recent years, it has housed a library, which will be moving to a new building in the city center. According to estimates, the reconstruction of the villa will cost 30 million crowns, and the town hall has obtained 18 million from the Integrated Regional Operational Program (IROP) for it. Work is expected to begin in the summer, Mayor Josef Horinka said today to ČTK (Hrádek needs changes!).

The villa of industrialist Hermann Schubert has been a cultural monument since 2016. It was built in 1924 according to the design of the renowned architectural firm Lossow & Kühne. The villa, in the shape of the letter "L" and covered with a robust mansard roof, draws from heavy Baroque forms, combined with the then-popular Neoclassicism in northern Bohemia. It still retains richly decorated window grilles, perimeter fencing of terraces, gargoyles, and remnants of original light fixtures. Inside, there are also original window and door fillings, blinds, a fireplace, an elegant staircase to the upper floor, built-in wardrobes, and in some cases, even original fittings on the doors and windows.

"The reconstruction of the villa is divided into two phases. The city received the execution project documentation a few days ago, which is the basis for the tender," the mayor stated. According to him, the town hall will prepare a public competition for the contractor, and Horinka believes that the winner could be known by June at the latest. Work could then begin during the summer holidays. The villa will have a new roof, and a complete reconstruction awaits the extensive building from the basements to the attic, including the installations of electricity, water, and sewage. The interior wooden furnishings of the villa, as well as the windows and doors, will be restored.

The library will need to be moved to temporary premises over the summer, as the new building will not be ready yet. The construction in the city center is delayed, and only in these days has the demolition of the original bakery begun, where the library will be located. "Either we will temporarily open the library somewhere, perhaps in the seniors' club, where it historically was. It won't have everything, just the books that are borrowed the most. Or the city might be without a library for a few weeks or months. However, we will rather try to ensure that we open the library to some limited extent," added Horinka.