The demolition date of the Máj hotel in Ústí is not set even after more than two years, the proceedings are ongoing

Ústí nad Labem - The former Máj hotel in the Northern Terrace of Ústí nad Labem approached its demise more than two years ago. At that time, the building authority issued a demolition order for the ruin inhabited by homeless people. However, the city hall now admits that it cannot say when the repeatedly burned building will actually be demolished. The owner is resisting the demolition, and the proceedings for the removal of the building are thus ongoing without a clear outcome, as reported by ČTK.

"The superior authority (the regional building authority) returned the case file and the (Ústí) building authority is continuing the proceedings. At this moment, the participants have been informed about the continuation of the proceedings and a new decision is being prepared," informed the spokesperson of the Ústí city hall, Marek Lukinič, to ČTK. The owner of the once-prominent hotel has appealed against the removal proceedings. He does not communicate with the city or the media. His property poses a safety risk. Fires occur frequently, and a structural assessment has previously confirmed that the building is damaged. According to city representatives, it also negatively affects the appearance of the surroundings.

When asked how long the removal proceedings might take, the city hall responded ambiguously. "The removal proceedings are not simple. It is a regular administrative process," Lukinič stated regarding the duration of the process. Therefore, the city hall cannot specify when exactly the concrete building without windows or cladding will disappear. "It is not possible to say when the former Máj hotel will come down," Lukinič conveyed.

The city has utilized another proverbial lever on the owner of the problematic property. In the meantime, it decided to increase the property tax. In addition to the former hotel, it has also done so for other problematic properties. However, the city does not know whether the owners have actually paid the property tax since its collection and control is ensured by the tax office, not the local council.

The former Máj hotel is also located near a multifunctional playground where children play and youth gather. Drug addicts, homeless people, and squatters who inhabit the multi-story building are thus in close proximity to them. Officially, only firefighters and the state police are allowed to enter the building. Officials are not permitted to enter. The city is therefore unaware of how many people temporarily occupy the property. Additionally, no procedure has yet been established for how they will approach the residents of the building before demolition. The local government only offers people in housing distress, including those staying at Máj, the option to contact the social services department. The department can provide them with advice and crisis intervention in cooperation with local social services.