Opava plans 61 cooperative apartments in the former Dukelské barracks

Opava – The Opava city hall is preparing a project that will allow interested parties to acquire cooperative apartments. Four buildings will be converted in the area of the former Dukla Barracks, where the city plans to build rental or cooperative apartments. In total, there will be over 120 apartments, half of which will be cooperative. The contribution from interested parties to the emerging cooperative is expected to be about 25 percent of the apartment's value. The city hall is assessing the interest in cooperative apartments among the residents of the city. This was stated by the city spokesperson, Roman Konečný, in an interview with ČTK.

"The city of Opava is preparing a pilot project for cooperative housing in the area of the former Dukla Barracks. The extensive area in the northwest part of the city has long been designated for gradual transformation into a modern residential district while respecting the historical character of the place," he stated.

The project is divided into two phases. By the end of next year, two buildings will be revitalized, creating 61 city rental apartments. "This phase will be followed by the second phase by the end of 2028, which will focus on the reconstruction of additional buildings, in which 61 cooperative apartments will be created. This way the city will verify the functionality of the cooperative model as a stable and long-term affordable form of housing," said Konečný.

He noted that this is not new construction on a greenfield site, but a reconstruction of historical buildings while preserving architectural and urban values. The project includes energy-efficient operations. "The city will establish a housing cooperative, into which it will contribute the buildings as a non-monetary contribution. The loan will be taken by the cooperative, not by individual interested parties. Members will enter with a membership contribution of approximately 20 to 25 percent of the apartment's price and will subsequently pay a regular monthly charge that includes loan repayments and the building's operation," the spokesperson added.

A total of 61 apartments of sizes approximately from 1+kk to 3+kk are planned. "All parameters and financial data are still preliminary and will be specified after the completion of the project documentation and the contractor selection process. From mid-December to February 15, 2026, the first round of collecting non-binding applications will take place. This does not serve to reserve a specific apartment but to verify public interest and refine the project. The city will subsequently publish clear rules and a timeline for the next steps," said Konečný.


The area of the former barracks covers approximately 110,000 m². Several companies are located in one part. The city sold another part, covering 3.7 hectares, to a private developer in 2020 for 51 million crowns. The company plans to build 16 buildings with 300 apartments there, and construction has already begun. The third part, containing several historic buildings of the barracks, is retained by the city, which plans to gradually convert them into apartments. Opava, which has approximately 57,000 residents, currently owns 550 apartments. The construction in the barracks area will only partially address the situation in the city.

Originally artillery barracks were built in Opava in 1889. Most recently, the buildings housed the 53rd Logistics Training Base. The unit was disbanded in 2005, and two years later almost the entire area was acquired by the city. Since then, it has been seeking new uses for it.