In the neglected building opposite Brno train station, there will be shops

The exterior appearance of the facade of the new shopping center will resemble the architectural designs from the workshop of Jan Kaplický.

Brno - A shopping center will be built on the site of a high-rise building located opposite the Brno main train station, which burned down ten years ago. The IFM Group intends to open it next March. IFM Group representatives announced this to reporters today. The building has been one of the most neglected places in the city center.
     Construction work began at the beginning of this year. "Large internal modifications are currently being carried out on-site. Floors and escalators are being removed," said IFM Group director Zdeněk Filípek. According to him, the main part of the construction work will begin later this month. This includes the replacement and installation of new ceilings.
     Filípek stated that there is demand for retail space among tenants. Currently, 81 percent of the space is occupied. "We aim to achieve full occupancy by mid-October this year. The interest from tenants allows us to select and choose the best options for future visitors to the center," said Filípek.

Inside, the center will be designed similarly to the Omega department store in Freedom Square.

     The construction of the IFM Group shopping center will cost hundreds of millions of crowns. "We will exceed the budget compared to the original plans by about ten percent. We expect a return on investment within 12 years," said Filípek.
      The building opposite the Brno main train station burned down in January 2002. During the rescue of a casino croupier located in the building, two firefighters lost their lives. Every year, dozens of their colleagues commemorate the tragedy of their comrades in front of the building. A memorial to both fallen firefighters is set to be created on-site. It will be located on the exterior of the building facing the main train station.
     The shape of the memorial was determined by a competition among students of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Brno University of Technology. It will take the form of a cuboid. "It will not be a standard statue; in the cuboid, there will be two shadows symbolizing the two lost human lives," said Deputy Director of the South Moravian Firefighters Petr Oháňka.
     The new shopping center will be named Letmo. In addition to shops, it will also include cafes and a wine cellar. "We are also discussing a children's corner. We want to approach it in a way that makes the facility diverse. The location is specific in that there are no parking spaces. We are also considering building a parking garage opposite the Brno Grandhotel," said Filípek.