Heavy machinery will commence the demolition of the Ještěd department store

Liberec - Heavy machinery is scheduled to begin the demolition of the old building of the Tesco department store in Liberec this morning, built more than 30 years ago according to the designs of renowned architects Karel Hubáček and Miroslav Masák. Although there were attempts to preserve the building as a monument, the Ministry of Culture had a different opinion on the value of the structure. Thus, nothing stands in the way of its demolition. A second phase of the modern shopping center Forum by Multi Development will rise in place of the department store.
    The department store was originally named Ještěd. It was built in the late 1970s as a combined department store, where individual spaces were leased to merchants. It actually consists of three buildings, which in recent years complicated the delivery of goods and the movement of customers. The center serviced around 100,000 customers weekly.
    Demolition work will last about two months and will cost 20 million crowns, said Petr Černák from Multi Development to ČTK earlier. The entire area has already been enclosed by a fence, and heavy machinery, including a special demolition excavator with hydraulic jaws capable of handling reinforced concrete walls, is on site. Liberec residents will not see such machines in action for the first time; five years ago, they demolished buildings of the nearby Textilana.