<Pardubický kraj> this year will begin the renovation of the former secondary school

Pardubice - The Pardubice region will begin the renovation of the former secondary school on Komenského Square this August. The ground floor will serve the public, while the upper floor will house offices for about a hundred regional officials. The derelict building will be renovated for approximately 220 million crowns, which is the largest investment in the building's repair in the history of the regional office. The first deputy governor, Roman Línek, informed journalists about the project today.
    "We have completed the selection process, and the amount of 220 million crowns was the lowest offered price. The building will be renovated by a consortium of three construction companies. The construction should be completed in 2010," said Línek.
    The cost of the renovation has changed over time. From approximately 120 million crowns, it increased by a third last year. This year, the offered price is even higher by several tens of millions of crowns.
    The fate of the former secondary school, designed by Josef Schmoranz in the 19th century, was long undecided. The region acquired it for one crown from the Pardubice magistrate years ago. The building was originally intended to serve as a gallery, which would have meant a fundamental architectural intervention or complete demolition of the structure. However, this was opposed by the Museum Society, which eventually blocked the handling of the secondary school with a lawsuit against the Ministry of Culture.
    The project by architects Pavel and Petr Maléř from Pardubice plans for a passageway for pedestrians and cyclists to run through the building. There will be a multipurpose hall and exhibition spaces on the ground floor, while offices will be created on the upper floors. Officials currently located in rental buildings will move into these offices.
    The region will fund the renovation from its budget and partly with a loan from the European Investment Bank, which it opened last year for an amount of 1.2 billion, added Línek.