The Olomouc city council approved the expansion of Šantovka to include a hotel, apartments, and a multifunctional hall

Olomouc – The city council approved a change to the project for the expansion of the shopping center Galerie Šantovka next to the historic center of Olomouc. Instead of the originally planned extension to the commercial complex, it now includes the construction of several buildings with shops, restaurants, apartments, a multifunctional hall, and also a hotel or office spaces. Thanks to the amended zoning decision, the developer group Redstone can continue preparing this multi-billion investment and handle the building permits. CTK obtained the information today from the council's decision.

The shopping center Galerie Šantovka stands on the site of the bankrupt company Milo and was opened in 2013. The complex has a retail area of 46,000 m². The Redstone group decided to expand it several years ago. The original plans from 2019 to 2022 talked about building a four-story building with dozens of shops and approximately 23,000 m² of leasable area. The project was ultimately adjusted according to architect Robert Bishop, reflecting the changing demands of future tenants and the shopping habits of Czechs.

In the new decision from the city council, the extension of the shopping center was canceled. The amended project includes a multifunctional complex of buildings with housing, a hotel, shops, restaurants, and a multifunctional hall. It is planned to have a total of 147 apartments, 200 hotel rooms, and approximately 60 retail units. The multifunctional hall is designed with a capacity of 700 seats. A total of 571 parking spaces are proposed. The constructed area will take up approximately 16,700 m², and the usable area will exceed 106,000 m².

Nearby the Galerie Šantovka shopping center, the Redstone group is gradually building the Šantovka Living complex with 12 apartment buildings. The location is also planning to construct the controversial Šantovka Tower high-rise building, which is only tangentially related to the latest council decision. The project is being handled separately by the authorities in another proceeding.

Heritage protection officials and some experts oppose the planned construction of the 74-meter-high Šantovka Tower, arguing that it would damage the city's historical skyline. However, according to the Redstone company, backed by businessman Richard Morávek, these concerns are unfounded.

Last summer, the Olomouc city council's official proceedings on the Šantovka Tower project were taken over by the regional authority. A series of court decisions indicated that the Olomouc city hall was systematically biased in this case. Therefore, its officials are not allowed to decide on the project. The successful lawsuit in the public interest regarding the bias of the city hall was filed by the ombudsman.