The state wants to newly rent part of the House of the Black Madonna

Prague - Part of the ground floor space in the Cubist House at the Black Madonna in Prague is being vacated by its long-term tenant, who operated a bookstore there. The Ministry of Culture therefore announced a selection procedure for this space on April 18. The competition deadline is May 20, and the ministry would like the new tenant to operate in the building starting July 1.
    The request to terminate the lease came from the current business operator in the premises. The reason given was the rent being too high, said the Ministry of Culture spokesperson Marcela Žižková to ČTK.
    Approximately 300 square meters are available for lease, with 85 on the ground floor and 216 in the basement. The current tenant paid 826 crowns per square meter monthly, approximately 250,000 crowns. In the selection process, the price is not predetermined; offers will be evaluated mainly based on the proposed rent, Žižková stated.
    The quality of the business and investment proposal will also be a deciding factor. The state will conclude a rental contract for the space for a maximum period of eight years.
     The architectural gem at the corner of Celetná Street and Fruit Market, which is a cultural monument, was completed by the prominent architect Josef Gočár in 1912. After World War II, the building, which was constructed as a department store, housed the Exhibition Company. After a renovation, the Czech Museum of Fine Arts operated here since 1994.
    As part of the public administration reform, the museum was transferred under the regional government, and it was not possible for a regional organization to use state property. The National Gallery emerged from the selection process and created a new exhibition on Czech Cubism. This largely overlaps with the previous one; it opened in November 2003. Two years ago, a replica of the original Orient café was opened in the building, also designed by Gočár.
    The entire Cubist house belongs to the State Fund for Culture and the Ministry of Finance - it wanted to lease it commercially, as the fund still owes the state millions of crowns received for covering losses from the Czech lottery. The Ministry of Culture halted the Cubist house along with the U Hybernů Palace due to the launch of the lottery. However, the idea of commercial leasing was ultimately abandoned by officials.
    The National Gallery considered acquiring the entire house, with the operation financed from the rental of the shops on the ground floor. However, the government did not permit the transfer of the house to the Ministry of Culture. The National Gallery created an exhibition on commission and funded by the fund. The gallery is neither in the house nor in rent; the museum only operates it and hands over the profit to the fund. The fund also entered into a five-year lease agreement with the company Baba, which built the replica of the café and operates it.