The association criticizes the demolition of the Prague villa where Antonín Novotný lived

Prague - The local residents' association criticizes the plan of a private investor to demolish a first-republic villa in Prague's Malvazinky, where communist president Antonín Novotný previously lived. The Friends of Malvazinky association informed about the intention on its website. After demolishing the villa from 1929, the owner intends to concrete the garden on the slope and build a family house and two apartment buildings on the land, according to the association.

"Na Loužku a.s. is preparing a new project in cooperation with the developer Red Group s.r.o.: the construction of three four-story buildings with 19 covered garage spaces," the association stated on the website. The representatives of the association also dislike the fact that the Prague 5 Urban Development Committee expressed support for the demolition and new construction plan. This happened despite the fact that last year's approved rules for assessing construction projects in villa districts establish efforts to preserve their existing character. According to the association, this does not align with the intention to demolish the original villa and replace it with several multi-story new constructions featuring modern, largely glazed architecture. Residents of neighboring houses are also against it.

The chairwoman of the Friends of Malvazinky association, Jolana Dočekalová, stated at today's city council meeting that the planned project represents a threefold increase in built-up area compared to the existing villa, and it clearly shows an effort for maximum floor space regardless of the surroundings. She also pointed out that there is another similar project planned on the same street, and nearby, there are plans for development in the Na Pláni area, which part of the locals also oppose.

The chairman of the urban development committee, Milan Kryl (independent), responded that the villa is not historically protected and that the committee has no influence over the building office's decision regarding its demolition. According to him, the project meets all conditions and rules for the given location, and if the committee were to issue a negative opinion, it would have no justification for it.

The investor has already requested permission from the Prague 5 building office to remove the building, and a decision has not yet been made. According to the mayor of Prague 5, Daniel Mazur (Pirates), the local government has no means to prevent a private owner from managing their property.

"I would be very pleased if it turned out that the villa could be saved, that perhaps the developer would be willing to sell it with all the land, and that we would have the means to buy it, but I have no information on either," the mayor stated. He added that the city district should focus on permitting new construction and try to advocate for the most sensitive form of the project through comments.

The villa on Na Loužku Street was nationalized after the communist coup, and in the 1950s, Antonín Novotný moved in. Between 1957 and 1968, when he served as the President of Czechoslovakia, he did not live in the house, but later returned. After his death, the villa was inhabited by the normalization Minister of Health, Jaroslav Prokopec.

Malvazinky and Košíře in Prague 5 are a long-desired location for residential construction. This often displeases local residents, who argue that modern development disrupts the character of the neighborhoods and comes at the expense of green spaces. In the past, several controversial projects were associated with former mayor Milan Jančík (formerly ODS). Many of them involved transactions of the city district with plots of land, which led police to investigate the ex-mayor several times.