In the vicinity of these three buildings, which currently form the dominant features of the place, but larger or smaller traces have been left by the developers of many other buildings – both residential and administrative or multifunctional. The locality with brownfields, mostly bordered by Sokolovská, Freyová, Českomoravská and Ocelářská streets, has gradually become any natural center of the area. And it attracts the attention of other investors.

Prague 9 has a plan

The city district of Prague 9, which now wants to play a key role in further changes in the vicinity of the Českomoravská metro station, has opted for a strategy that inspired the German city of Hamburg. Respectively, his mayor, who bought land on the banks of the Elbe, in a shorter troubled district, to have all the cards in his hands for the creation of the new Hafen City district. So in the hands of the city.

“In synergy with what private investors have built in Vysočany so far, we have a unique chance to create a quality public space in the area and thus give a new impetus to the location, which is still damaged in many places by old factories. But we do not want to be just those who deal with our own from the position of a weaker player, so we plan from the current owner, Howden ČKD Compressors, to acquire land in the central part of this area, which is key to further development of the site, “said Mayor of Prague 9 Tomáš Portlík ( ODS).

City of short distances

The city district has already had an urban study prepared, providing a relatively large idea of ​​what this district could look like in comparison. Following this, it also plans to negotiate with its own surrounding lands about their future use.

The study, which deals with an area of ​​about ten hectares, will also become the basis for a change in the zoning plan, which would enable the transformation of the brownfield into a multifunctional urban district. “We want to build a city of short distances here, which will combine living, work and entertainment. At the same time, we would like to build a new center here with Emil Kolben Square, a school and other public functions, “said Mayor Portlík.

He added that he is convinced that if the city district is actively involved in the creation of the central part of the development area, the match between the city’s needs and the project economy can be found much easier and faster than if it just corrects investors’ perceptions.

According to Jiří Řezák from the Qarta architecture studio, who is the author of the urban study, Vysočany could become the “past Karlín” thanks to a good transport connection and a similar genius loci. And it also admits some foreign inspiration.

“Emil Kolben’s square with a three-dimensional boulevard is a unique public space, inspired by Milan, where the town hall, together with urban planners and architects, proceeded to revitalize a similar area by combining the classic block of flats with high-rise buildings that became the area’s landmarks. In the case of Vysočany, the high-rise development would have a Eliška residential house almost one hundred meters high on the corner of Freyova and Ocelářská streets, ”explained the concept of the Řezák locality.