THE POPRAD brewery, Popradsky pivovar, will soon become history after 200 years in operation, as the Pilsberg Investment s r.o. Company started its demolition on March 16.
Demolition of the complex will last until mid July 2013, and all buildings except the malt-house, which is still in operation, will be torn down. The exterior of the malt-house will be reconstructed to fit with the new buildings that are to be built around it.
Marián Balaj of Pilsberg Investments said that several buildings are slated to replace the former brewery, located in downtown Poprad, the most dominant being Retail Centrum which, after completion, is expected to employ 200 people in its first phase. Construction will start immediately after its demolition. According to the original plans, in addition to Retail Centrum, several relatively tall buildings, including a nine-floor hotel, a 10-storey administration building and three 14-18 storey residential buildings, have been designed, the tallest of which is expected to reach 68 metres in height. It is not known when these plans will be implemented.
There are two other construction projects planned in close proximity to the former brewery: one on the site of the former Prior department store, which was planned for the year 2014, but to date shows no signs of construction, and the Horse shopping centre, whose foundation stone was laid by President Ivan Gašparovič in 2006, but no visible signs of progress have been made since.
