Conversion of the former rectory in Ralsko-Kuřivody into a Local Meeting Center
Liberec - The Liberec region is seeing an increase in abandoned sites, which have been revitalized for new uses, or whose reconstruction is being prepared. ARR - The Regional Development Agency, which manages the database of so-called brownfields for the Liberec region, currently records nine completed projects and another 16 in the realization or planning phase. However, this is still too few. The brownfield database in the Liberec region contains 445 sites, and this number continues to grow. Marek Pšenička from ARR stated this today. A brownfield is a plot of land or a building that is not being used effectively, is neglected, and in many cases also contaminated. The property cannot be utilized without revitalization, which often incurs costs in the range of tens to hundreds of millions of crowns. The highest number of unused sites in the Liberec region is located in the Frýdlant Ash and in the Česká Lípa area, where 40 percent of the sites are primarily unused agricultural and industrial buildings. "The regional database also includes unfinished buildings, residential buildings, and even castles in Horní Libchava, Stráž pod Ralskem, or in Stvolínky," Pšenička added. Despite the possibility of obtaining subsidies for the revitalization of such properties from several funds, interest in them is not great. New uses are complicated by high costs and often unclear property relations. Especially for manufacturing or storage sites, transportation accessibility is often a problem. "Investors usually require that the property be no more than a kilometer from a main road," noted Deputy Governor Vít Příkaský. According to him, many investors would prefer to demolish the building and construct a new one that better suits their needs. However, this is not possible in some cases, as many sites are protected monuments. Despite these problems, there are already some interesting projects in the region that have been successfully implemented. Among the most well-known is the entertainment and social Center Babylon, which was created by converting the former textile factory Hedva in the center of Liberec. The former Kolory factory in Slaná near Semily has been converted by the company Beneš and Lát into a modern foundry and engineering plant. The textile factory in Semily now serves the municipal office, and a high school is located in the former barracks in Turnov. "The dilapidated rectory in Stráž pod Ralskem has become a Local Meeting Center, and a neglected farmhouse in Oldřichov in Hájích has transformed into a center for environmental education," listed Pšenička. Many other projects, according to Pšenička, are currently under realization thanks to support from the EU Regional Operational Program. For instance, the former Koruna building in Žandov will be repurposed. The historical building in the square will, after reconstruction, serve as the seat of the municipal office, library, and community event space. In Česká Lípa, thanks to subsidies, a former medieval jail is being reconstructed for the needs of an archaeological museum. The site of the Baltaxia company in Příšovice and the former fire station in Jablonec nad Nisou will also receive a new form and use.
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