Hundreds of people in Olomouc protested against the construction of a high-rise building

Olomouc - Several hundred residents of Olomouc protested in the streets of the city this evening against the intention of SMC Development to build the Šantovka Tower high-rise building in close proximity to the historic center. At 75 meters, it would share the position of the second tallest building in the city with the town hall and, according to opponents and some heritage conservationists, would significantly damage the skyline of Olomouc. However, the investors refuse this claim. They recently obtained consent from the heritage conservationists at the town hall and plan to start construction in two years.
People who oppose the Šantovka Tower project gathered in the afternoon at the square in front of St. Wenceslas Cathedral. Many of them carried banners with slogans such as "Olomouc is not Hong Kong" or "A phallus belongs under a skirt, not in the center of Olomouc." After brief speeches from the organizers, the procession headed to the town hall, where dissatisfied people chanted "Those who support the skyscraper will not get our votes!"
The organizers of the protest meeting claim that the investor, armed with the favorable position of the heritage conservation department of the magistrate, could soon receive all the necessary permits and begin the construction of the high-rise building. According to historian and theory of art and architecture expert Rostislav Švácha, high buildings do not belong in close proximity to historic centers because they destroy their unique skyline and all cities begin to look similar. "Baroque Olomouc does not need a New York skyline," former rector of Palacký University and former senator Josef Jařab sent a message to the participants of the assembly.
The Šantovka Tower project was prepared by SMC Development. The building, located next to the new shopping center Galerie Šantovka, is planned to have 22 floors. SMC Development estimates the construction costs at 400 million crowns. The building is designed to contain approximately 80 apartments. According to František Chupík, the director of the Olomouc branch of the National Heritage Institute, the Šantovka Tower contradicts the principles of regional development, the regulatory plan of the urban conservation area, and regulations of the Ministry of Culture. The scientific council of the National Heritage Institute also opposes the construction of the high-rise building in the protective zone of the urban conservation area.
Investors dismiss their opponents' concerns and assert that the skyline of Olomouc will not be disrupted. "Our stance is unchangeable. We are continuing to prepare the project; the hysteria around it is unnecessary. Thanks to the Galerie Šantovka, it is showing that our visualization corresponds to reality. The non-binding assessment from the magistrate sided with us. We did not present any manipulative images and we believe that this building belongs in Olomouc," said Richard Morávek, a representative of the investor, to ČTK last week.
Olomouc currently has two new high-rise buildings. The Regional Center Olomouc reaches 71 meters and the building of the Moravian University of Finance and Administration is 74 meters tall. The new zoning plan, which has not yet come into effect, does not count on further high-rise buildings near the urban conservation area. The Ministry of Culture has expressed opposition to their construction. The Šantovka Tower project is being evaluated by the officials of the magistrate. However, SMC Development does not intend to wait for the new zoning plan to be approved. If it obtains a permit based on the existing zoning plan, it can start construction even after the new version comes into effect.