In the former Prior in Krnov, apartments and a library may be created

Krnov - In the building of the former Prior in Krnov, in the Bruntál region, additional apartments or a library may be created. This follows from a study commissioned by the city from the Ostrava branch of the British architectural firm RMJM. The city spokesperson Dita Círová told ČTK. The recommendation is non-binding; the councilors will still negotiate the potential use and purchase.

The city owns a quarter of the building, while the remaining part belongs to the company Prior, department stores. For example, the town hall owns 70 apartments in the building. Therefore, the council is considering purchasing the remaining share, which the owner has offered first for 39 million crowns.

One of the largest buildings in the city center, which currently consists of retail space, apartments, and technical facilities with storage and office spaces, was proposed by architects to be divided by partial demolition into two smaller units with a pedestrian passage. According to the proposal, part of the building should be transformed into a four-story structure with a library, a meeting hall for the city, cafés, apartments, and technical facilities. The second unit comprises a single-story retail section, which connects to existing structures with municipal apartments.

The building, constructed in 1983, will require extensive investments according to city representatives. The structure is very outdated and should not remain in its current form. For example, the city has long lacked a hall for council meetings, which would be more accessible for locals than the fire station in Kostelec. A municipal police station could also be located here.

The Prior building with residential units was built between 1980 and 1983 based on the winning design in an architectural competition for the redevelopment of Krnov's city center, which took place in 1967. It covers an area of 5,532 m², consisting of a courtyard and a building that includes commercial and residential sections.