Liberec could have a new district with an innovation center in four years

photo: Navi Abdavsen

Liberec - A new district is being prepared for construction in the lower center of Liberec, providing housing for 500 to 800 people. It will be completed in at least four years, in 2020. The project, costing more than a billion crowns, also includes an innovation center, garages for approximately 750 cars, a kindergarten, a nursing home, a sports facility, and a park. Project manager Jiří Šolc informed journalists today.

"If everything goes well, we could receive partial construction permits for the first buildings in 2018," he stated.

The district is planned to be located in Perštýn, where there is currently a large pit left from an unfinished shopping center. Last year, the Liberec Investment Fund acquired the land and placed it in its subsidiary company LIC. The project has the support of the city. "It will eliminate the unsightly pit that has disfigured the center for several years. According to the design I had the opportunity to see, it should be a tasteful yet modern development," said Mayor Tibor Batthyány (ANO) to ČTK today. He considers it beneficial that the city will gain more apartments and expand job offerings.

The city council only had a few minor reservations about the project, which the private investor has already incorporated into the spatial study, "It mainly involves creating a new pedestrian connection between the urn garden near the crematorium, linking adjacent streets, and creating missing water features in the center of Liberec," Šolc noted. The study is already complete, and on Monday, LIC submitted it for review to the magistrate. It will also be discussed publicly.

According to the study, the four and a half-hectare area should be built up to 26 percent. The authors were inspired by Vienna, which has a lot of greenery. "So we tried to have maximum greenery while utilizing the space to provide as many housing options as possible," stated architect Václav Dvořák. For example, the project includes plans for four beach volleyball courts and a children's playground on the roofs of the underground garages. A central park with a pedestrian promenade route from the center is also to be created. The design of the buildings in Perštýn will be proposed by various architects. "We don't think it would be good for it to have one style. On the contrary, for it to be a vibrant district, it should have signatures from multiple authors," said LIC director Radim Fiala. According to the study, there will be a data server center in the lower part of the new district. Above it, more than 20 irregularly arranged administrative and residential buildings with approximately 350 apartments will be spread out. Some are expected to be starter apartments for talented university graduates. "We have the ambition that graduates of the university will find shelter in the innovation center," Šolc added. It is estimated that around 300 people could work in the administrative and technical center.