ČRo will start the second phase of reconstruction estimated at half a billion

Prague - Czech Radio will soon begin the second phase of the reconstruction of its historic headquarters on Vinohradská Street in Prague. According to the plans of the radio's management, the result of the renovation will be a cohesive complex bounded by Vinohradská, Balbínova, and Římská streets. The estimated cost of this second phase of reconstruction is half a billion crowns, marketing and PR manager of Czech Radio, Jakub Ptačinský, informed ČTK today.
    The complex, which will gradually house some other Prague radio offices, will be created by interconnecting the renovated historic building at Vinohradská 12, the Studio House at Římská 13, which was built in 2000, and the building at Římská 15. The total built volume of the reconstructed space is approximately 80,000 cubic meters. The entire complex is expected to be completed by 2010, Ptačinský stated.
    The final cost of the second phase depends on the bids of candidates in the public competition for the selection of the construction contractor. "The estimated total costs, including preparatory work, the project, and technology, are about 500 million crowns," Ptačinský added.
    According to the general director of the radio, this is a demanding intervention into the radio's structure, taking place during full operation, where nearly a thousand employees work on weekdays. Therefore, relocating all radio employees working in the historic building is an essential part of the reconstruction.
    However, the radio will not take out a loan to pay for the construction work. "Although this reconstruction is indeed enormous, we do not intend to use a loan to finance it. Czech Radio is financially strong enough to fund the reconstruction from its reserve resources," stated Kasík.
    The radio has also requested state support for the reconstruction, as the building being renovated has the status of a cultural monument and a historically protected object. "We have been granted support in an amount that corresponds to just under a tenth of the estimated costs," Kasík added.
    The historic building of Czech Radio at Vinohradská 12 was constructed between 1929 and 1932, originally for the Directorate of Posts and Telegraphs and Czechoslovak Radio. Therefore, the main investor of the construction at the time was the Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs.
    Czechoslovak Radio officially began its operations in this functionalist building on December 10, 1933, with the opening being associated with the celebrations of the radio's ten years of activity. As a whole, the building became the property of Czechoslovak Radio around 1935. The annex on Balbínova Street was completed in 1951.
    "Although over the following years some partial modifications were made to the interior and exterior of the building, the current restructuring of this cultural monument has no precedent in the past," noted Ptačinský.
    Czech Radio currently operates two dozen stations, led by the news and public affairs station ČRo 1 - Radiožurnál, the family-oriented general station ČRo 2 - Praha, and the cultural station ČRo 3 - Vltava. An additional 11 stations are designated for regional broadcasting, and there is also the analytical and public affairs station ČRo 6 and the station broadcasting abroad, ČRo 7 - Radio Prague.
    In the last few years, in connection with the advent of digital broadcasting, Czech Radio has also launched four special stations: the news and public affairs station Rádio Česko, the youth station Radio Wave, the station focused on classical music D-Dur, and the popular-science station Leonardo.