Ostrava - Last week a new chapter in the history of the formerly dusty coal town Ostrava has been written, as a foundation stone was laid for a new city quarter that should emerge in a locality that was one of the dirtiest places in Europe ten years ago.
What once used to be an industrial complex of buildings called Karolina should soon become a modern city neighborhood called Nová Karolina (New Karolina) close to the center of Ostrava, north Moravia.
Commercial, office and apartment buildings will be built on thirty hectares. Investors decided to spread the construction work over four phases. The first one should be completed by May 2010. In 2016 the whole of the new complex should be finished.
"A new shopping and leisure center, two modern office buildings and an apartment complex with 220 middle and high standard apartments should be completed during the first phase," says Lucie Husníková from the Multi Development that is in charge of the Nová Karolina project.
Old halls, new apartments
"We also plan to reconstruct two historical buildings called Dvojhalí (Double hall) during the first phase. The former power center and central office should be transformed into multifunctional cultural, social, sports and education center. The remaining infrastructure will also be finished," said Lucie Husníková.
The first phase will cost more than five billion crowns; the overall costs should reach CZK 10 to 15 billion. That is 10 to 15 times more than what the new soccer stadium Slavia in Prague had cost.
Multi Development paid CZK 220 million to the city of Ostrava for this land. A part of the complex will be sold, and another part should be offered for rentals.
Center will stay
Nová Karolina, situated close to the city center, has lately caused some speculation. Some think that the center of the city might shift in the future from the actual center to this new neighborhood. Ostrava mayor Petr Kainar disputes this theory.
"Masaryk Square is the center of Ostrava and no one will change that. Nevertheless, the new Karolina is very important for us and it will significantly boost the further growth of the city and the whole region," Kainar explains.
Plans to rebuild Karolina started developing in 1998. Polish architects won the public competition in 2000, but their plan was refused by the city council. "We could not find any investor who was willing to carry out the plan," says Ostrava mayor.
In 2005, city officials repeated the competition. Its winner was supposed to be responsible for the implementation and the financing as well. In July 2006, the council chose Multi Development as the winner.
Multi Development has built the Chodov shopping center in Prague as well as the Olympia centers in Olomouc and Plzeň.
From Rotschild to Nohavica
Karolina was first used for commercial purposes in 1837 when the first mine was started. A well-known Viennese family Rotschild took over in 1843. That is also when the site was named after the granddaughter of the new owner Salomon Mayer Rotschild.
The coke oven plant was built in 1858. This plant survived longer than the mine itself which has slowed down production in the beginning of the 20th century and was finally filled up and closed in 1933. The coke oven plant operated until the middle of 1980s.
In 1989 heavy demolition started in Karolina, the entire complex was leveled to the ground. The only remaining part was the Double Hall where Jaromír Nohavica, a famous Ostrava folk singer-songwriter, recorded a concert DVD recently.
