Prague’s last brownfield gets start date, but ‘green’ future questioned

The long-awaited transformation of the Florenc district, central Prague's largest remaining brownfield, has moved into its final preparatory phase.

Developer Penta Real Estate has officially applied for an environmental impact assessment (EIA), reports Novinky.cz, marking the most significant legal step toward breaking ground on a project designed to bridge the "urban scar" between the New Town and Karlín.

The CZK 20 billion project, known as Florenc21, is now slated for a 2028 construction start, with the first residential and office blocks expected to be complete by 2031.

The development will replace 44,000 square meters of neglected railway land, framed by the Zaha Hadid-designed Masaryčka building on one side and the current bus station on the other, with six distinct blocks featuring hundreds of apartments, a hotel, and nearly 1,000 underground parking spaces.

"Next year we would like to approve the entire project and start construction in 2028," said Rudolf Vacek, head of development at Penta Real Estate.

"The streets and squares between the buildings will be pedestrian zones," added Ondřej Boháč, director of the Institute of Planning and Development of Prague (IPR), noting that underground garages will connect the territory of Prague 1 and Prague 8.

The most immediate change for locals will begin next year, as the developer prepares to relocate the central bus station to Pod Výtopnou Street.

A new departure hall will be built in the Negrelli viaduct branch, for which an international architectural competition is currently underway, according to Marek Zděradička, Deputy Director of the IPR. The relocation is partly driven by a longer-term infrastructure project.

"This area will be fundamentally affected by the construction of strategically important new railway lines under the city center, including a new Florenc railway stop planned here — which will essentially make the operation of the current bus station impossible," Zděradička said. The concept also considers options for relocating the bus station entirely outside Florenc.

Architectural designs for the residential blocks have been finalized. Some 150 studios from around the world submitted proposals, with 15 ultimately selected to participate, from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, France and the Netherlands.

While the project aims to address Prague's housing deficit, it faces intensifying scrutiny over its impact on local residents and environmental footprint.

Current inhabitants have raised concerns about the bus station being moved further from the metro, potentially complicating commutes for the 26,000 people who use the hub daily.

Additionally, critics have highlighted that out of 141,000 square meters of development, only ten apartments have currently been designated for city-managed social housing.

The environmental group Arnika has called for rigorous oversight, describing the area as "one of the most significant heat and smog islands in the center of Prague" where "hygienic noise limits are already exceeded."

The group has also criticized the EIA documentation as incomplete and distorted, saying it lacks a traffic study evaluating wider area impacts, data to assess effects on greenery, and details of possible compensation measures.

In response, developer spokesman Tomáš Weiss said the zoning plan "contains clearly defined regulations and requirements for public space and greenery, which the winning architectural designs of the individual blocks exceed."

He added that Penta plans to create a new city boulevard and plant mature trees across the area, including on rooftops.

The city has also secured a planning agreement that includes the construction of a new primary school and five apartments that will be handed over to the City of Prague for social use.