Prague has postponed construction preparations at the Žižkov Freight Station. The developers will contribute to the new school and park
On Monday, the Prague City Council approved the urban planning study for the development of the Žižkov Freight Station site, taking a fundamental step towards the transformation of one of the most important long-term unused areas in the wider center of Prague. The study sets out the detailed regulation of the area and, among other things, also expects that a new primary school and a new park will be built in the area of the former railway station, which will cross the entire area. The city will seek their form through architectural competitions. Jarovská třída was also given the green light to prepare the next phase.
A study from the Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) workshop creates a concept for the entire area of the Žižkov Freight Station and coordinates the individual construction projects of private investors, the city and the district. The task of the study was to design the shape of the new part of the city in such a way as to create a lively district, the so-called city of short distances, where the necessary public amenities are not missing. The future of the freight station has been under discussion since 2009, but this political representation managed to find an agreement in the area that will be beneficial for the residents of the town.
“The urban study, thanks to which the whole project can move forward, was published the following year for public opinion in the area and subsequently modified based on their comments. At my suggestion, the Prague City Council approved the newly prepared study as a whole, including the settlement of all comments and the newly prepared binding drawing of public amenities. The study will then also become the basis for an agreement in the area based on the Methodology for the participation of investors in the development of the area, i.e. the so-called rules for development, and above all a binding detailed plan for the creation of a new lively urban district.” comments Petr Hlavácek, I. Deputy Mayor. Based on the city’s requirements for developers, their participation should amount to over 1.5 billion, which will be used for the construction of public amenities.
The city has already agreed with the developers and the city district on specific details such as the extent and location of public amenities – i.e. schools or parterres with shops, as well as on the financial performance of investors. The developers will thus participate in the construction of a new elementary school, which will be created in the center of the locality by adding to the main building of the freight station. The developers will also participate in the realization of the central park and other connected squares and streets. “The conclusion of this agreement, which will take place in the future in the form of a binding contract, is a condition for the city to acquire a new concrete form of transformation of the territory into an urban district. A future contract will include the study that was just approved, thereby confirming that our rules for developer participation are working. In the past weeks, we completed such an agreement for Rohanský ostrov or the territory of Interlov in Prague 4, and others are in progress,” adds Petr Hlaváček.
School campus instead of supply hall
Two new elementary schools are planned in the area, as well as the reconstruction of the elementary school on Havlíčková náměstí, which will be paid for with money from the developers. The city will seek a solution for the new elementary school in an architectural competition. In the future, another private and secondary school should be established in the locality directly in the heritage-protected building of the freight station, which will be transformed into a multifunctional center with a library or a leisure club. The developers will also participate in the financing of the park, which, like the unique former supply hall, will become a dominant feature of the entire area. Its form will emerge from an architectural-landscape competition
“Prague needs the development of the housing stock, and not on the outskirts, because this only creates more pressure on transport to Prague and on more parking, and disproportionately increases the cost of public transport construction. The right way is to revitalize the so-called brownfields and build a city of “short distances”, provided that such a city will have sufficient and high-quality public amenities. says the deputy mayor of Prague 3 for territorial development Pavel Dobes. Together with Petr Hlaváček’s team, he lobbied for the study to take into account the comments and demands of the residents of Prague 3, which they summarized in a petition. These were largely related to public amenities. The proposal now includes enough schools, kindergartens, health and social services (polyclinic, home for the elderly, day care center, etc.). In addition to schools, five new kindergartens will be established in the area.
“The school in the territory of the Nákladové nádraží will be in a new building and in an area corresponding to the need for an outdoor sports field. It will not be in a historic building as originally planned. Similarly, the second elementary school is planned on a sufficient area with an outdoor sports field and will not be on the plot in Habrová street, but in the former Inklemo complex. There will also be a stand-alone school here, which will directly connect to the sports field, which is now a playground owned by Prague 3. Thanks to this, the school will be further from the main roads, which will have a positive effect in the form of reducing noise and emissions, increasing safety, and last but not least will be closer to the residents of Jaro. There will be a stand-alone kindergarten next to this school, which will give us the opportunity to have both school facilities within walking distance.” adds Dobeš.
The territory will be connected by Jarovská třída and a new tram line
An agreement was also reached on the phasing of the territory, which is tied to the fastest possible completion of the tram line, much needed to service the new territory. The line is already being designed and the goal is to have the tram in operation by 2029. Part of the proposal is also the creation of a new connection between Malešické and Českobrodská streets – the so-called Jarovská street. The independent study, which was created as a follow-up to the study of the new city district, was also approved by the Prague Council.
“The study presents a comprehensive proposal for an architectural, landscape and transport solution that will enable the integration of transport infrastructure, including the planned tram line Olšanská – Habrová, into the existing and planned development of the Freight Station and the wider area of Žižkov. The solution to the new street also follows on from the project to complete the Municipal ring road – for which we handed over the planning permission documentation last week – and the Libeňská spojky. In connection with this project, we also approved a request for the government to hand over the track at the Žižkov freight station to the previous council,” he says Adam Scheinherrmayor’s square for transport.
With the approval of the urban planning and traffic study of Jarovská trýda, the preparation of the reconstruction of Malešická street from the intersection with Na Jarová street, including a new bridge, to K Červenému dvoré street can begin as the first phase.
“The Žižkov freight station is an opportunity for Prague to create a place where people will not only live and work, but also spend their free time. The new district undoubtedly also needs sufficient traffic services, which will help ensure Jurovská třída and the new tram line. After 23 years, we are finally moving this fundamental project forward, also with the help of the public, who had the opportunity to comment on both studies in the first year,” supplies Ondřej Boháčdirector of IPR.
Registration of the agreement in the area of future flights as part of the Landscape 2022 festival in the historic building of the Žižkov freight station on Tuesday 20 September 2022 from 17:00 with the participation of representatives of the capital city and Prague 3. The presentation is for the general public.
This does not change the spatial plan itself, it will be possible when the final agreements on cooperation and conditions regarding the freight station building and changes to the necessary land are concluded.
The study in its final form approved by the Council hl. m of Prague is available at IPR website.
photo: IPR
8