October 2020
New municipal residential projects
The City of Ostrava’s long-term housing concept includes a number of residential developments which will create several dozen new rental apartments when complete. Some of the developments are new buildings, while others are conversions of former office premises.
Currently the City is in the final phase of reconstructing two residential blocks on Husova Street and Střelniční Street. Together these blocks will contain 34 apartments, 3 commercial units and parking facilities. In the spring of 2021, work will be completed on a much-awaited new development at Janáčkova Street in the city centre, which will be directly adjacent to Ostrava’s new modern art gallery. The Janáčkova Street development will add a further 26 apartments to the City’s municipal housing stock.
The allocation of the apartments will take place via the “envelope system”; interested parties will submit bids for the rent they are prepared to pay, and the highest bids win. Potential interested parties can already monitor the current range of available apartments on the City’s website www.byty.ostrava.cz; the website will soon be updatef to include the precise terms and conditions of rental and full details of the bidding process.
Ostrava is set to choose an investment partner for the Nové Lauby residential development
Three investors are bidding to participate in this attractive new residential project in the historic heart of Ostrava’s city centre, which will also include underground parking facilities and premises for shops and services. The investors have responded to an invitation issued by the City to selected applicants who entered the first round of the bidding process.
The developers Hochtief, BBB Nové Lauby and Gemo Development met the criteria in the most recent round, qualifying them to move on to the third and final round of the process, in which they will submit a final bid. This is the first time that any Czech residential development project has used the public-private partnership financing model.
The three shortlisted candidates have until 6 November to compile and submit their complete bids. The bids will then be assessed and evaluated by a committee. The contract between the City and the final investment partner will be signed before the end of this year.
More information (in Czech)
Ostrava’s Vítkovice district is set to be the location for a brand-new industrial and commercial quarter
The 40-hectare site of the former Vítkovice iron ore agglomeration plant will become the location for a brand-new city quarter containing manufacturing facilities, warehouses, commercial premises, showrooms, offices and more. The new industrial park will be built by the industrial developer P3, and designed by Ostrava-based architect David Kotek from Projektstudio.
Tomáš Míček, who directs industrial developer P3’s operations in the Czech Republic, summed up the benefits of the project: “We have a unique opportunity to breathe new life back into a place that used to play a key role in the proud history of Ostrava – the industrial heart of our country. It will be an exceptional investment, which will be quite unique in the field of industrial development. I am confident that we will be able to create a sustainable industrial zone which will represent a natural extension to the central part of the city.”
Work on the project is set to begin towards the end of next year, and the scheduled completion date will be in 2025.
Rapid consultancy service for businesses
In the spring of this year, the Moravian-Silesian Region set up a consultancy platform to support businesses which needed assistance when coping with the measures introduced to control the COVID-19 pandemic. The website Rychlá rada (“Quick advice”) is still up and running; business owners and managers can use it to keep up to date with key information from the business world – as well as to ask any questions they may have. The info pack also includes an overview of support programmes that are available to help businesses impacted by the public health situation.
The Moravian-Silesian Innovation Centre (MSIC) also offers expert consultation as part of its MSIC Impuls programme, which helps businesses to cushion the negative impacts of the pandemic by offering up to 10 hours of consultation with an expert.
The City is keen to maximize public involvement in discussions about the zoning plan
The City of Ostrava is currently discussing changes to its zoning (land use) plan in response to requests received, boundary changes and the ongoing evolution of the city’s needs. Dozens of requests have been submitted by private citizens, companies, public authorities, the City itself and its municipal districts. Citizens were able to learn more about proposed changes – and the entire zoning process – via an on-line panel discussion held in October and coordinated by MAPPA, Ostrava’s Municipal Studio for Urban Planning and Architecture.
The next step in the process will be a public discussion that will take place in the first half of November. The City is keen to maximize public involvement in this discussion process.
The public discussion will be held on Thursday 12 November starting at 4 p.m. at the City Hall (Prokešovo náměstí), in the main City Assembly chamber. If government measures combating the COVID-19 pandemic make it impossible to meet in this format, the City will publish information on the new arrangements well in advance.
Revitalization projects for prominent Ostrava buildings get the green light
Nine prominent buildings in Ostrava will be revitalized by September 2021 thanks to a City of Ostrava programme which is providing subsidies totalling 5 293 900 to the buildings’ owners. The subsidies cover 50 percent of the total costs of revitalization projects and are payable to private owners of (mainly) residential buildings in Moravská Ostrava, Vítkovice and Poruba. Eligible projects include repairs of façades, general revitalization projects, window replacement and the removal of non-original features.
The programme is targeted at buildings which are either cultural monuments or are of significant historic value – most of them occupying prominent locations in the above-mentioned municipal districts – as well as to other buildings whose repair and/or maintenance are particularly challenging and costly and for which the owners lack the necessary funds. The programme motivates owners to look after their buildings properly and to apply the principles of responsible cultural heritage management; the ultimate goal is to ensure that Ostrava is the setting for numerous high-quality works of architecture.
For a number of years, the City of Ostrava has been implementing a range of targeted initiatives and projects to improve the quality of public spaces – and the programme helping the owners of cultural monuments or important urban structures to carry out repairs and renovations forms part of those long-term efforts. Other City activities supporting improvements to public space include a programme to fund renovations of housing stock owned by the municipal districts, projects to build new residential blocks in unsightly vacant lots, regulations restricting the use of “advertising smog” (excessive and ugly promotional features) in city streets, and the fajnOVY prostor (“Fine Space”) subsidy programme which funds grass-roots projects to improve the appearance of public areas throughout the city.
Work on Ostrava University’s new campus is in full flow
The new campus for the University of Ostrava will occupy a site of almost 4 hectares in the heart of Ostrava’s city centre. The site – which is currently vacant – is located at Černá Louka (Black Meadow) near the Ostravice River. The development will create a brand-new sports centre and facilities for art and music teaching. The campus project will also include a complete revitalization of the riverbank area, creating an exciting new space for recreation and leisure activities.
The work is being carried out by a consortium consisting of the Ostrava branch of IMOS Brno and the building contractor Beskydská stavební. The consortium has recently documented current progress on the project in a video which shows the various parts of the new campus that are scheduled for completion by 2022: these include a gallery with multimedia teaching rooms and an art studio, a chamber music hall with a capacity of 250 people, scientific laboratories, an athletics track, a ball games centre, a workout area and more.
The City of Ostrava has made a major contribution to the project, donating land worth around 42 million CZK in a highly lucrative location. The City will also pay for the construction of an underground parking garage with space for 155 cars, which will be used both by the University and (primarily) by the general public. The City has also helped at the pre-financing stage, contributing to the costs of producing project documentation and other expenses.
More information about the project (in Czech)
Conversion of the former municipal slaughterhouse has been proceeding as planned for over 6 months
The reconstruction of the historic former slaughterhouse complex in Ostrava’s city centre to create premises for the Plato modern art gallery is proceeding according to plan. After the challenging process of demolition, the removal of unstable parts of the structures, disassembly work and foundation-digging, the project has now moved into its next key phase – the actual construction of the new building.
The aim is to preserve a valuable historical landmark and to breathe new life into it. The design has also been finalized for the open spaces surrounding the historic buildings. The exterior design, like the conversion of the buildings themselves, are the work of the Polish studio KWK Promes, headed by architect Robert Konieczny – though the initial idea was contributed by the team at the Plato gallery, who also worked together with Promes to produce the final design.
Ondřej Vysloužil, the Director of MAPPA, Ostrava’s Municipal Studio for Urban Planning and Architecture, gave more details: “The surroundings of the building will retain the chaotic arrangement of the site, but more greenery will be added. When dividing up the space, the designers took account of the original wall-lines of the former buildings at the slaughterhouse complex. There will be gradual transitions between the green areas and the footpaths, creating the impression that the boundaries between them are blurred.” MAPPA has played an active role in the entire project process, from the initial preparations for the architectural competition to the creation of the project study.
From the very first conceptual stage, a unique feature of this conversion project has been its use of found objects. It incorporates a range of items found in situ – such as old bricks, original paving stones, other objects found during the construction work, as well as the original asphalt surfaces. The overall design of the complex reflects the fact that its entire vicinity is currently in a state of flux – for example, it offers the potential for the construction of new buildings along Masná Street, thus emphasizing the quality of universality and keeping a range of options open for the ongoing evolution and transformation of this part of the city centre.
Source (in Czech)
Ostrava will have one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers – and its name will be chosen by citizens
At the beginning of October, the VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava signed a contract to buy a new supercomputer for the IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Centre, one of the Czech Republic’s leading research, development and innovation centres. The Director of IT4Innovations, Vít Vondrák, explained why: “Our users’ demands for supercomputing capacity grow every year, and we are not currently able to fully meet these requirements. But our new supercomputer has been designed to meet the most challenging user requirements – including work on highly complex research and industrial projects incorporating classical numerical simulation and big data analysis as well as the use of artificial intelligence.”
The new supercomputer will serve not only researchers, but also development teams from industry. The University is confident that the technology will open up exciting new opportunities for research and other professional projects.
The working name of the supercomputer is EURO_IT4I. However, the general public will soon be able to have their say, as a competition is being launched to find the final name. The deadline for submitting suggestions is 15 December. The competition is open to anybody with permanent residence in the Czech Republic. Detailed competition rules can be found HERE (in Czech).
JobTeaser will put students and graduates in touch with the professional world
The University of Ostrava has launched a new careers portal which will help put students and graduates in touch with companies seeking new recruits. The JobTeaser platform is the first initiative of its kind in the Czech Republic. It uses algorithms to find the most suitable job opportunities (including internships and temporary positions) for students and graduates based on information provided by the user as part of their individual profile. There will also be events and courses focusing on personal and career development.
The app is now open for cooperation with companies and non-profit organizations, which can advertise their current vacancies by contacting the University of Ostrava’s Welcome Centre.
Source (in Czech)
A new arrival at CTPark Ostrava
CTPark Ostrava has welcomed a new arrival. This major industrial park in Ostrava-Hrabová is now home to the Czech company Rubix Czech – a leading European supplier of products and services for industrial maintenance and machinery repairs.
CTPark Ostrava is situated just 10 km from Ostrava city centre, making it a strategic location for companies – not only due to its suitability for large-scale production or warehousing facilities, but also because it offers excellent access for employees. The park is ideal for manufacturing, logistics, research and development. It is currently home to a large number of major investors such as PEGATRON Czech or the Korean automotive producer SungWoo Hitech.
Other news
City continues to invest in sports infrastructure
Ostrava is continuing to invest in the construction and modernization of sports facilities for a wide range of users from the general public.
On 3 October, a brand-new multipurpose outdoor sports centre was opened in the municipal district of Polanka nad Odrou, offering four new sports pitches and an area for roller sports. Just a few days later, on 9 October, the City opened another new multifunctional sports hall in Krásné Pole, which will additionally serve people from adjacent parts of Poruba and the surrounding area. The City of Ostrava has invested over 18 million CZK in both projects.
In both cases the new facilities are located outside the central part of Ostrava; the City is keen to ensure that people from all municipal districts – including those on the outskirts of the conurbation – can benefit from excellent sports infrastructure. This year alone, the City has already invested over 400 million CZK in sports facilities and activities.
Ostrava’s people can admire modern art in public spaces
Since the end of September, Ostrava’s people have been able to enjoy a mural designed by the Polish artist Mariusz Waras. This huge outdoor wall painting is entitled JUMP, and it was inspired not only by Ostrava’s visual aesthetics, but also by the city’s history, architecture, and local legends. Work on the mural took 6 days, and it covers a total surface of 220 square metres. The painters used over 200 cans of spray paint to create the image.
The City is keen to improve the visual aesthetics of its public spaces, and the Ostrava 360 project is one of its key tools. The project also targets the issue of so-called “advertising smog” – ugly and excessive promotional features in public spaces. It encourages other temporary uses for vacant spaces, which do not need to be filled with tasteless and unsightly advertising.
“This does not mean that every empty space in the city has to be used for mural art, but quality artworks can bring a temporary improvement to the situation – for example on the blind walls of buildings facing onto vacant lots which cannot be built up immediately.” (Source: Facebook Ostrava 360)
How satisfied are Ostrava’s people with the options for alternative transport in the city?
The City of Ostrava has carried out a large-scale public opinion survey in connection with the city’s popular bikesharing scheme. Over a thousand respondents took part in the survey – 92% from Ostrava, plus other bikesharing users from Hlučín, Šenov, Vřesina and Havířov. Almost half of them said they used the bikesharing scheme several times a week, and 12% use it daily. A total 85% of respondents use the scheme for practical transport and commuting, and 15% use it for recreational purposes.
The survey was conducted before the City announced a new tender to find the operator of the bikesharing scheme for the next two years. The tender was open to an unlimited number of applicants, and two bids were submitted. The winner is Nextbike, which has already operated the scheme for almost two years; Nextbike’s bid was 7.10 CZK (incl. VAT) per bike loan. This sum is the contractual contribution to be paid by the City as part of its policy to support alternative transport.
Interest in bikesharing continues to grow. Compared with the first (pilot) year of the scheme, when it had around 16 000 users covering 130 000 km during just under 7 months, this year the scheme has almost 55 000 users. The City expects that the total number of kilometres covered will soon top one million.
More information (in Czech)
Events
ONGOING: A foreign demands for Czech contractors
CzechTrade has informed about the new market opportunities coming from foreign companies (e.g. Germany, Switzerland, Italy). More information on the Business info portal (only in Czech).
3.11.2020: JIC 120” in Vienna: Smart and Sustainable Energy Solutions (online seminar)
The tenth annual JIC 120” event for startups, large companies and research institutions in the field of energy production and power engineering. More information.
5.11.2020: Digitalize your business (online seminar)
Seminar focusing on the legal aspects of digitalization: electronic contracts, HR, legislation covering access rights to digital services, and more. More information.
5.11.2020: 4th Users’ Conference of IT4Innovations (online)
Conference for computing cluster professionals. More information.
12.11.2020: Among businesses #2: How to develop the B2C segment for B2B businesses
Online meeting for enterprising leaders who are keen to build a sustainable business. More information.
16.-27.11.2020: Autumn Sourcing Week | Online (ASWO) (online event)
An online platform for setting up business contacts with Hong Kong. More information.
19.11.2020: Expanding to the Italian market during the time of corona – online and physical expansion
Online seminar exploring new developments on the Italian market. More information.
19.11.2020: Speed networking
Speed networking – a unique form of networking enabling participants to rapidly find interesting business contacts. More information.
24.11.2020: Don’t be afraid of starting a business! (online seminar)
Seminar focusing on essential aspects of starting a business – from registering as a sole trader to accounting and marketing. More information.
25.11.2020: The current situation and opportunities on the Polish market
Online seminar presenting new developments on the Polish market. More information.
26.11.2020: How to keep your business growing
Online meeting for enterprising leaders who are keen to build a sustainable business. More information.