Czech Lípa wants to relocate the library to the cultural house

Česká Lípa - Česká Lípa wants to relocate the city library to the Crystal Cultural House. The building at the main square is no longer sufficient for the library, as both books and visitors suffer from a lack of space, and the building is not accessible for wheelchair users. According to the city council's plans, the library should move to the underutilized first floor of the cultural house. The costs for necessary modifications, reconstruction, and equipment are estimated at 130 million crowns. CTK was informed about this by the city council spokesperson Kateřina Urbanová.
    The City Department of Property Development and Investments has been preparing the plan since 2008. They commissioned studies on the use of vacant space for the library. The winning proposal by architects Jiří Janďourek and Jana Medlíková faced opposition from heritage protectors. The proposed alterations were also rejected by the original project author, architect Jiří Suchomel.
    The modern multifunctional Crystal building complements and closes the garden of the original Augustinian monastery, which today houses the Regional Museum and Gallery. The building is embedded in the terrain between the garden and the valley floor of the Ploučnice River. Although designed in 1975, it is energy efficient. The sloping southern facade functions as an air collector for solar energy. Partial embedding into the ground, thermal insulation design, and the potential for heat accumulation in the building's substrate form the concept of energy efficiency.
    The cultural house has served the public for 21 years. In addition to two main halls and a foyer, it includes a cinema, restaurant, ballet hall, and gallery. The adaptation project for the library included modifications to the interior as well as a new façade that would maintain heat retention capacity while reducing the building's energy demand. "Due to the unsatisfactory condition of the roof covering and internal installations, it will be necessary to invest in the building anyway to prevent it from deteriorating and to improve its technical condition," said Mayor Hana Moudrá.
    The city plans to have project documentation for the reconstruction of the cultural house prepared next year. When the construction will be realized is still unclear. The reconstruction of Crystal is not the only investment project in the city. The reconstruction of Jirásek Theatre is expected to start next year, with costs estimated at 110 million crowns. Only then could the library also expect attention, provided the city manages to secure some grants. The city doesn’t have enough funds in its budget for two such demanding investments.