Praha has started the construction of an archive in Chodovec for 640 million

Prague - The construction of a new wing of the Archive of the Capital City of Prague has begun in Chodovec, Prague. The building, with one underground and seven above-ground floors, is set to be completed in July 2016. This was stated today during the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone by Mayor Tomáš Hudeček (TOP 09). The costs will rise to 640 million crowns including VAT. The construction will serve for the archival storage of paper and electronic documents.
    "From this investment, we primarily expect to increase the efficiency of the office's work, speed up and improve public access to information, and also bring savings for the city," said the mayor.
    The selection procedure for the contractor was announced by Prague back in 2012, but the decision took a long time to make. Deputy Mayor Václav Novotný (TOP 09) previously stated in response to a query from ČTK that the council was unsure whether to build the archive for such a large sum. However, subsequent analyses demonstrated that there was no alternative solution. The capacity of the current archive will be reached within two years, and many documents are stored in various locations around Prague, often in unsuitable conditions.
    The new premises will store digitized archival materials and documents, as well as paper official files. Some documents were temporarily stored in various locations following the floods of 2002, such as in the railway station building in Bubny or in the Clam-Gallas Palace at Mariánské náměstí. According to Novotný, the opening of another part of the archive will pave the way for the long-planned renovation of the Clam-Gallas Palace.
    Due to the preservation of archival materials, Prague is expected to face further investments in the future. The law requires the city to establish a backup data storage as well. It is to be located in Malovanka, where a control center for the Blanka tunnel complex is also planned for the future.
    The Archive of the Capital City of Prague is located in Chodovec, together with the State Regional Archive and the National Archive. Together, they form one complex.