One of the brownfields has disappeared from Josef's Valley; the former steel mill is now a entertainment center

Josef's Dole - One of the brownfields has disappeared from the Jizera Mountains in Josef's Dole near Jablonec. The former abandoned glassworks, Maxovská hut, is now a recreation center named Huť Marie. It opened approximately a month ago. The purchase of the site and renovation cost about 65 million crowns, stated co-owner of the company Canicula Invest, Zdeněk Kubát, during the project presentation. This company acquired three unused sites in Josef's Dole a few years ago, two former glassworks, and an abandoned sawmill. The renovation of Maxovská hut is the first completed building; revitalization of the other two sites is in the preparation phase.

Maxovská hut was built in 1904, with glass production ceasing more than 20 years ago. The reconstruction lasted about two and a half years, and the exterior has been restored to its original state. "Today, the building has been stripped of all extensions and add-ons that have been added over the years of glass production," Kubát said.

The focal point of the interior, even after the renovation, remains the former furnace hall, which used to house two furnaces. "We ultimately decided to preserve it as much as possible in its original form and we will try to gradually fill it with various activities, whether sporting, cultural, or social," Kubát mentioned. The hall can accommodate up to 400 people and is already used for playing badminton and table tennis. According to Kubát, they would also like to host Christmas markets, dances, and concerts there. Other areas of the former hut include a fitness center, climbing wall, sauna, and café.

This cultural, social, and sports relaxation center is intended to serve not only locals but also tourists. "In my opinion, Josef's Dole has enormous potential. The Jizera Mountains are newly discovered; it’s a short distance from Prague, you can get here in an hour and a half, so it’s becoming increasingly popular. And the people who come here, besides of course enjoying the beautiful mountains, need other activities as well," Kubát added.

Revitalization of the other two brownfields is not expected to start for several more years. In both cases, they will be new constructions, although according to Kubát, they initially planned to preserve the glassworks near the station known as Kamenická. "Unfortunately, during the project preparation, when it was supposed to be converted into an apartment building, it was found that the structure was in such poor condition that we ultimately had to demolish it," Kubát said. They do not want to build a copy of the original glassworks. "That wouldn’t make sense. We are rather planning that there would be more smaller buildings than one large one," he added. He anticipates that they could have the construction project ready by the fall of next year. Plans include the construction of apartments, shops, and a microbrewery. Kubát estimated that the investment would be around 200 million crowns.

Revitalization of the former sawmill is expected to cost around 150 million crowns, which has already been demolished. "We are planning a classic development with cottages or family homes. There will be ten to twelve buildings," Kubát added. The project is in the process of changing the land use plan.