In Kolín, on the site of the Radimský mill near the Elbe River, builders are expected to construct apartment buildings with more than 250 flats in the coming years. Real-Treuhand Reality & Development bought the dilapidated site last autumn. It wants to partially reconstruct the historic building, also known in Kolín as Podskalský mlýn. Demolition work began this week and construction of apartments in the first phase is expected to begin in May, announced Pavla Maříková, on behalf of the owner.
“On the basis of the issued building permit, more than 250 flats with various layouts will be built here, as well as new spaces for cafes and restaurants, for example, and the project also includes the reconstruction and extension of the cycle path with a promenade and pier, which will be used by all residents of Kolín,” Maříková said.
The investor has been working with the city administration on the project from the beginning. “The result is the utmost respect for the historical legacy of the industrial mill site, the deliberate disorderliness of the overall urban design, the perpendicular orientation to the river, which reflects the permeability of the site and the possible interspersion of greenery, the terraced design of the houses and other aspects of the project. I consider both the plan and the project to be very good work by the studio,” said city architect David Mateásko.
According to mayor Michael Kašpar (Change for Kolín), the city changed its zoning plan some time ago, and originally only single-family houses could be built in the area. “We wanted the site to remain open to the public, no fenced-off area with a few family houses, which is why the change to apartment buildings was necessary,” Kašpar said. He said the city had other conditions, which the investor respected. “For example, extending the bike path or putting most of the parking underground,” the mayor added.
The Podskalský mill on the so-called Zabrze side of the Elbe, also called Radimský after one of its owners since the mid-19th century, was built at the end of the 13th century. The site burned down several times and was rebuilt. It served as a mill, but also for other economic activities. In 1948 it was nationalised and passed under the national enterprise Středočeské mlýny. After 1989, the descendants of the last owners acquired it in restitution.
Source: Real-Treuhand Reality & Development and CTK
