Builders are completing the shell construction of the Ostravice-Textilie renovation

Ostrava - The reconstruction of the former department store Ostravica-Textilia in the center of Ostrava is moving into the next phase. Builders completed the necessary demolitions in five months and are now finishing the rough construction, which will soon be followed by surface treatments. The overall reconstruction of the two parts of the complex, which has been deteriorating in Ostrava for over twenty years, also includes the creation of some interesting elements. Representatives of the investor, the construction company, and the city mentioned this to reporters during today's inspection.

"We have completed the demolition work on the building, meaning the building has been cleared to a state where surface treatments, flooring, and interior partitions can be installed. It is prepared to a stage where we can continue with the construction work that will soon be visible. So far, it has been demolition," stated Michal Bystroň, the owner of the construction company carrying out the renovation. He added that around 30 to 40 people work on the site daily. "Some new issues have also arisen that will need to be resolved technically and project-wise, and we will see if this will or will not impact the timeline," Bystroň said. According to him, the planned schedule is currently being adhered to. "There is still a long way until the deadline in June 2023, but it is possible that some aspects here will require a slight extension of the deadline," Bystroň mentioned, indicating that it is a relatively demanding construction. "We are essentially rebuilding the house completely from the inside. It is not a standard renovation."

The renovation involves the repair of two parts of the complex, namely the Textilia department store, which was built in the late 1920s according to the design of avant-garde Berlin architect Marie Frommer, and the residential and commercial building from 1911 by Moravian architect Felix Neumann. Ostravica-Textilia operated until 2000, when part of the building collapsed during full operation due to poorly executed construction interventions.

"The buildings themselves will be characterized differently; building A by Felix Neumann will be raw and exposed, we love many old walls there that we do not want to cover and we want to enhance them with modern materials - aluminum, glass, and smooth stuccos, elegant lighting, and so forth. Building B, with Marie Frommer's staircase, deserves a return to pure elegance - glass, clean surfaces, clean ceilings," said project manager Daniel Zeman.

According to him, the renovation should bring several interesting elements. "Ostravica does not play a role just for itself, but also as an entry gateway to Ostrava. Our idea for the Karolina node, the entry station, is that in the evening, when you look at the old Ostrava, Ostravica will shine. Especially at the bottom, where the windows are almost six meters high, there will be a restaurant and a café, and it should be a kind of glowing gateway to the old, beautiful Ostrava," Zeman stated. Another interesting space, which the architect called Little Italy, is expected to be the connecting area between both buildings, which will feature a glass elevator and walkways.

The ground floor and the first floor are expected to serve as more public spaces, which will include facilities for students. In the higher floors, space for companies should be created. The modernization is expected to cost around 300 million crowns.

"I think we all see that there is still a lot of work to be done..., but that the transformation is already believable. From the very beginning, we have tried to ensure that along with the buildings, the public space of Edvard Beneš Square is also repaired, which is why we started preparing an urban competition for that public space a year and a half ago. We awarded the proposal, which is already being designed now. The idea is that it would start to be implemented no later than 2024," stated Mayor Tomáš Macura (ANO).

The transformation of the former department store has been the subject of numerous discussions and proposals for its use in the past. However, the demanding renovation had long been unsuccessful. The current reconstruction is being carried out by a private investor and the current owner of the building, the joint-stock company Ivančice property.