The historic Hendl's Courtyard will be transformed by Skanska into 29 luxury apartments

Prague - Skanska wants to start the reconstruction of the historically protected Hendl's Courtyard from the 16th century in Prague's Hanspaulka this autumn. It will create 29 luxury apartments and four non-residential spaces. The CEO of Skanska Reality, Naďa Ptáčková, told ČTK today that they are currently addressing the building permit they applied for at the end of last year. Skanska is thus returning to the luxury apartment segment after several years. Ptáčková did not disclose how much the reconstruction would cost.
    For a long time, disputes with the local civic association blocked the reconstruction of the now secured area. That should no longer be a problem. "After years, we have reached an agreement with the civic association. We tried to reflect their comments," noted Ptáčková. For this reason, she believes that construction will begin this autumn. The construction is expected to take 18 months.
    The construction company has revised the reconstruction project several times and has also collaborated with conservationists on it. However, according to Ptáčková, this project does not mean that Skanska Reality will focus more on luxury apartments. They still intend to primarily build projects in the mid-range and upper mid-range segments.
    Hendl's Courtyard, a historically protected area also known as Šárecký dvorec, is located on U Matěje Street. The first mention dates back to the mid-16th century, when Jan Chlum ran the local tavern. The land around the tavern served as vineyards at that time. Later, the house expanded and often changed owners. Its current form dates back to 1803 when the new owner, Baroness Antonie Skronská from Bydžov, had the area and buildings repaired and reconstructed. After World War II, the building was managed by Keramoprojekt, and in 1964 it became a protected cultural monument. For many years, a popular restaurant, U Matěje, was part of the building, but it has been closed for several years.
    Interest in new apartments in Prague is growing. According to joint statistics from companies Ekospol, Trigema, and Skanska Reality, people bought 5,950 new apartments in Prague last year, which is an 18.6% increase year-on-year. Developers are responding by significantly renewing construction, and some, like Skanska Reality now, are also starting to venture into more luxurious projects again.