The building on Národní will open this fall, it cost 1.5 billion

Prague - The construction of a new building at the corner of Národní třída and Mikulandská street in the center of the Prague heritage reservation is nearing completion. The lower floors, intended for a restaurant and shops, will open to the public at the turn of November and December. Jan Kubíček, the executive director of the investment company Sebre, stated this to reporters today. The upper floors of the building will house offices; the firm currently has a tenant for one floor and is negotiating with others. The entire project, which is directly connected to the Baroque Schönkirch Palace, cost approximately 1.5 billion Czech crowns.

The new building includes four underground and eight above-ground floors. The investor originally purchased the plot, including the historic palace, with a valid building permit for a hotel. However, due to weaker tourism results and after discussions with Prague 1, they reconsidered the plan and instead of accommodation facilities on Národní třída, a multifunctional building was constructed. According to Kubíček, the project was also reduced by one floor, and the floor area in the upper levels decreased by 50 to 100 square meters.

This autumn, a two-storey restaurant is expected to open in the building's ground floor. A well-known gallery owner, Zdeněk Sklenář, will open a gallery on the first floor. According to the director, the firm already has tenants for the remainder of the retail spaces. The situation is different for the office spaces on the upper floors, where the investor is still looking for tenants for most of the areas.

The project offers seven floors of offices, and there is a relaxation area on the roof. The building's metal structure is covered with greenery, which will change throughout the year. In spring, flowers are expected to adorn the building. Given the emphasis on greenery, the entire project is ultimately named Drn, although the working title was Palác Národní. Overall, the construction is estimated to cost around 1.5 billion Czech crowns. During last year's project tour, architect Stanislav Fiala spoke of a budget of 700 million crowns.

The final design of the building was praised by the mayor of Prague 1, Oldřich Lomecký (TOP 09), who noted that Sebre accommodated the requests of the municipal district, even at the cost of lower economic profitability. “We see it as a completely perfect compromise,” said the mayor. During the archaeological survey before the construction, heritage protectors discovered valuable historical paintings on wooden ceilings from the late 17th century and wall paintings. Some elements, such as a Gothic well or the original stable, were incorporated into the project in their original form by the investor.

During construction, the neighboring Baroque Schönkirch Palace, which is a protected monument, was also renovated and is connected to the new building. At street level, a passageway and a small square connect the two buildings. The investor also plans to connect with the building that the Academy of Art, Architecture & Design is preparing to construct nearby. It should house workshops and spaces for presenting student works.

In 2005, the municipality sold the plot along with the Baroque building to the investor for what seems to be a record price of 234,700 crowns per square meter, totaling nearly 184 million crowns. The land was bought from the city by the Dittrich company, which did not find an investor for the construction, and the project was eventually initiated by Sebre, partners Petr Němec and Jan Fidler.