Prague at the Freight Station Žižkov plans schools, apartments, culture, and commerce

Prague – The conversion of the Žižkov Freight Station building, which the Prague city council approved to purchase from Czech Railways for 1.43 billion crowns last night, could begin in four years. Approximately 50,000 m² are expected to be developed into schools, apartments, a cultural center, commercial spaces, and offices. A new headquarters for the National Film Archive could be located here, city and Prague 3 representatives said to reporters today.

The listed building is characterized by two long wings in the constructivist style, with the longer southern wing measuring 380 meters. The wings were intended for goods transshipment and storage in two underground levels. "It is the longest building in Prague," said Deputy Mayor Petr Hlaváček (for STAN), who noted that the length of the wings resembles some structures from the era of Italian fascism before World War II.

The city is aware of the requirements from heritage conservationists, who stipulate that the station wings can be raised by one floor in the middle and by two floors at the ends. An elementary school for about 800 children is expected to be built on the site of an antique furniture store behind the northern wing of the station. "In the old building, on the other hand, there should be a high school of studio type. Apartments would be located in the upper section," Hlaváček outlined the plans.

Operations are to be funded from other rentals. "We know that we will not recoup the purchase, but we do not want to subsidize operations. A mix of commerce, culture, services, municipal housing, and a school campus must be created," Hlaváček said.

According to Prague 3 Deputy Mayor Pavel Dobeš (STAN), it is also appropriate to place a polyclinic in the future district with 20,000 new residents, centered around the train station building. The headquarters of the National Film Archive is planned to be in a functionalist administrative building opposite Olšanská Street.

"It still holds that if the archive agrees with the capital city through the Ministry of Culture, it would be located here," Dobeš stated. He noted that it would not only involve offices but also two cinemas and studios. The cultural and social center must have a clear function and be self-sufficient, according to Dobeš.

An open square is to be created in the area of the rail yard with iconic freight lifts and platforms. According to Hlaváček, it will cover about half the area of Wenceslas Square, and its advantage will be the absence of traffic.

Before the conversion of the building itself, a roughly two-kilometer tram line is to be built. This will involve extending the line from Olšanská Street in the first phase to Osiková Street. The transport company plans to invest in this next year.

Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda (ODS) will sign the approved contract for the purchase of the station with representatives of Czech Railways on Monday. The station currently has about 300 tenants occupying approximately 90 percent of the space, and the city will take over their contracts from Czech Railways. Then, according to Hlaváček, adjustments will begin to be designed. "So let's say that construction could start in four years,” the deputy said.

The building was constructed between 1934 and 1937 based on designs by architects Karel Caivase and Vladimír Weiss. The declaration as a cultural monument in 2013 followed long-standing fights against plans to build a road in its place. The station ceased to serve its original purpose in 2002.