Redevelopment of Žižkov Freight Station moving forward

The future of the former Žižkov Freight Station (nákladové nádraží Žižkov) in Prague 3 is finally becoming clear.

The front building
should be the seat of the National Film Archive (NFA). In the north
wing, a primary school will be established. In the south section,
Sekyra Group should build commercial space and a two-story roof
superstructure with rental apartments.

A draft memorandum on the use of the area is being finalized. Prague City Councilor Jan Chabr (United Force for Prague), responsible for property, said the draft could soon be be presented to the City Council.

It must also be
approved by the Ministry of Culture, the Prague 3 Town Council, Czech
Railways, Sekyra Group, and Zizkov Station Development, a joint
venture of Czech Railways and Sekyra Group that was founded to
develop the complex and has the right of first refusal.

The city is also
preparing a change to the zoning plan so the brownfield area can be
developed. This change should be completed in the second half of
2020.

Railway operation ceased in 2002 and the complex has served as a parking lot, a space for flea markets, a warehouse, and cultural events venue. It has also been used as a filming location. Talk of redeveloping the area goes back to 2005. The main station building, which opened in 1936, was designated a cultural monument in March 2013.

In 2018, Prague 3 on its website described the Žižkov Freight
Station a unique building, unparalleled in the world: “The
generosity of the architectural and technical solution, designed by
Karel Caivas and Vladimír Weiss together with Miroslav Chlumecký
almost 90 years ago, has not been surpassed to this day. Since 1936,
when it was put into operation, the freight station has been the
largest building in Czechoslovakia and then in the Czech Republic.”

The previous City
Hall administration had been interested in purchasing the complex
from Czech Railways, but the current administration has agreed to
co-own it with the Ministry of Culture and Žižkov Station
Development. The Ministry of Culture’s involvement is due to the
presence of the NFA, which will oversee cultural and social
functions.

Sekyra Group, in
addition to commercial space and rental flats, plans to build
residential houses south and east of the building. Central Group and
Penta Real Estate will also be developing parts of the brownfield
area.

A tram line is no
longer planned to go through the center of the station, but will
likely now run to the north of the zone.

A study by the
Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) says the new
neighborhood could contain up to 15,000 inhabitants in the
surrounding land in the future.