Clearing has begun in Plzeň of the seven-storey torso of the former Carimex car dealership on Rokycanská třída on the main road from Prague. The demolition of the building is being prepared. It is the largest uncompleted building in the city, the ruins of which have been defacing Pilsen for a quarter of a century, and Pilseners call it “glass hell”. Local developers InterCora and BC Real will build shops, offices and apartments on the site. According to InterCora’s managing director Ivan Hlaváček, the companies are now cleaning up the mess that has been created there over the years and preparing to demolish Carimex and the surrounding buildings.
“We will start this work as soon as we obtain a final zoning permit, which we would like to have by the end of this year,” said Hlaváček. According to Deputy Mayor Pavel Bosák (Pirates), the city councillors had already imposed an obligation on the investors to secure the building against unauthorised entry by the end of September this year, especially by homeless people. The investors are also supposed to remove the clutter from the site, which is being done. “The building, which has been in a state of disrepair for many years, is a disgrace to the area. Moreover, a busy road between Pilsen and Prague runs through it,” he said.
The demolition of Carimex is a condition for Plzeň to sell its land in the area to developers. The investors then want to build the Úslava Centre in the area. The first stage will be commercial and administrative buildings, the second stage will be residential buildings, Bosák said.
Demolition and subsequent construction are being prepared by local developers InterCora and BC Real. In addition to the “glass hell”, they will have to remove a car wash, a car service and dealership and other buildings. The construction of the offices and the shopping centre is scheduled to start in 2025. For this, the investors also need city land. Once they demolish the Carimex torso, the city will sell them the land. Plzeň is also changing its zoning plan so that apartments can be built there from around 2029.
The building permit for Carimex, a Renault car dealership, dates back to 1997. The Plzeň businessman enlarged the building by several extensions and three floors without permission. He has been engaged in legal disputes with the city. For years, the unfinished building had been dilapidated and occupied by homeless people.
Source: CTK
