The first outlines of a real estate deal between the Czech state and the City of Prague are taking shape in these days. Prime minister Andrej Babiš has been pushing for the construction of a new government quarter in Letňany, otherwise known as the place at the northern end of the C-line. Little has been reported on the actual reasons for trying to push ministry workers into modern real estate. But it’s possible that Babiš understands that the majestic old buildings that have served the government for decades are wildly inefficient. It’s also possible that building new ones would be less expensive than repairing and modernizing the existing ones (like a number of the city’s bridges).
But Prague’s mayor Zdeněk Hřib thinks a government quarter is a terrible idea, saying that it would become an unattractive ghetto. He suggested that a major new hospital be built in Letňany, to replace the hospital Na Bulovce, rather than undertaking an expensive reconstruction and modernization on it.
The news server Echo24 says the city is now asking the state to give it the Na Bulovce hospital and the Prague 8 army barracks in return for the land in Letňany, but insists that shops, flats and a hospital be built on the location along with government buildings. The city also wants the state to cover the costs of completing the ring road around Prague.
