Prague 3 approves agreement for housing project on former Telecom site

The Prague 3 district council has approved a planning contract with Prague City Hall and developer Central Group for the construction of new housing on the site of the former Central Telecommunication Building in Žižkov. The agreement, announced by PR manager Petr Vurbs on behalf of deputy mayor Pavel Dobeš (STAN), includes developer contributions worth approximately CZK 271 million—CZK 68 million in cash and the remainder in the form of a new kindergarten and park.

The project, known as Centrum Nový Žižkov, will bring around 1,000 apartments to the area where the landmark Telecom tower once stood. Designed by architect Eva Jiřičná and her studio AI DESIGN, the centerpiece will be a distinctive tower with a wavy façade. Originally conceived as three towers in a design competition, the project was scaled back to one tower following public criticism.

Under Prague’s contribution system, developers are required to provide financial or in-kind support for public infrastructure as a condition for zoning plan changes. In this case, the contract includes a five-class kindergarten for 125 children and the creation of a linear park. The agreement must still be approved by Prague City Council along with the related zoning change, before final confirmation by both Prague 3 and the capital’s councils.

Deputy mayor Dobeš expressed confidence in the process, noting broad support from urban development committees: “I believe the approval could be completed as early as this autumn.” Central Group founder Dušan Kunovský described the scheme as an exceptional project that will not only deliver much-needed apartments but also shops, services, restaurants, cafés, a park, and a new square.

The Olšanská Street site, often nicknamed “Mordor,” housed the 96-meter Central Telecommunication Building completed in 1979. Over the decades it was home to SPT Telecom, O2 Czech Republic, and CETIN. Central Group acquired the complex in 2017, and demolition began in 2023.

The new contract follows similar agreements reached for development at the nearby Žižkov freight station, where Central Group, Sekyra Group, Penta, and MY Park are also planning large residential schemes. These planning contracts are intended to ensure that private investment in housing also funds schools, healthcare, transport infrastructure, and green spaces to support the growing population.