Plzeň is preparing the construction of five parking garages on the edge of the city center

Plzeň - Plzeň is preparing to build five parking garages, which should be constructed and operated by private investors. The first is expected to be built in the city in 2008. The city hall does not want to increase the number of parking spaces for cars, but to relocate all 2500 parking spaces currently in the streets near the square to the outskirts of the city center. This was stated by the mayor of Plzeň, Pavel Rödl.
    The city will not build parking lots. "We want to have a zoning decision to establish clear capacity and to ensure that the buildings do not disturb the surroundings. Then we will sell it to a private investor who will build and operate it," said Rödl. The city hall wants to have the zoning decision for some of the buildings by the end of the year.
    The city hall is now preparing a budget change to have funds for studies and projects for zoning procedures. According to the mayor, the constructions will not be particularly complicated. One above-ground parking space costs between 150,000 and 200,000 crowns, depending on the complexity. The underground ones will cost roughly three times that amount. Most of the buildings will be underground with administrative buildings above ground.
    The Concept and Development Department has identified five locations on the outskirts of the city center. The largest building is expected to be constructed at Na Rychtářce along the highway from Prague, where there is a ground parking area. "It will be above-ground to prevent parking fees from becoming too expensive," the mayor stated. It will be built in stages, and according to studies presented by private investors, it will accommodate 1000 to 1500 cars.
    Another parking building will be created in the Pětatřicátníků gardens. It is expected to be underground, similar to the waterfront by the Komerční banka. Another location is the vacant area U Zvonu. A building for 450 cars is being constructed by the Israeli Plaza in the area of the former exhibition grounds. The city hall would also welcome better use of the large parking lot above the main train station, which the city has leased long-term. The area has poor communication access, which would be very costly. A private investor would need to tunnel under the railway embankment from Americká Street at an estimated cost of 30 million crowns. "Then it could be very well commercially utilized, including new shops, passages, and similar," Rödl stated.
    The center of Plzeň currently has a capacity of 2500 parking spaces. "We do not want to bring more cars there, but to replace the current parking spaces in the streets with new complexes on the outskirts of the center," Rödl explained. According to him, there are various opinions on how far the center extends, but it must be close to the square. If we built those garages at Tesco on Rokycanská, they would not be utilized, he added.