Cvernovka to move into former secondary school

The creative centre saved for now.

New premises for CvernovkaNew premises for Cvernovka (Source: SITA)

Designers, painters, photographers, IT experts and other so-called creatives who until now have been located in the former thread factory known as Cvernovka will have a new place where to create: the former secondary chemistry school on Račianska Street administered by Bratislava Region. Members of the local parliament approved rental of the premise to the Cvernovka Foundation for 25 years on June 10.

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“We expect that this community will do on the premises of the former chemistry school the same that it achieved in the former thread factory and what similar communities have managed to do in other parts of the world,” said Rudolf Kusý, mayor of Bratislava’s borough Nové Mesto in which the school is located, as cited by the TASR newswire. “That they will transform the now dilapidated premises into a really attractive place that will lure creative young people.”

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The Cvernovka Foundation representing tenants of the former thread factory welcomed the decision as artists have to move from their current place until the end of July.

“I’m absolutely convinced that this will be a successful project,” said Viliam Csino of the Cvernovka Foundation, comparing the project to Tabačka Kulturfabrik in Košice that fundamentally changed that part of the city.

New premises for Cvernovka

Under the agreement, for which 37 out of 39 deputies voted, Bratislava Region will rent the Cvernovka Foundation the building of the school, garages as well as warehouse for 25 years and dormitories for one year. Dormitories will serve as a kind of recourse to the Cvernovka community during the first year until they reconstruct and adapt the school for its needs. Afterwards the Bratislava Region and the foundation would negotiate extension of the rental contract for this part of the premises for the following 24 years.  

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Read also: Cvernovka ateliers to relocate Read more 

The foundation will pay €60,000 annually for renting the building of the school while annual rental for the rest will be €1. The foundation has also promised to invest into the premises a total €740,000 during the following 25 years, of which €350,000 they should invest already during the first year. If the foundation proves that it has invested €740,000 into the school premises, this sum will be deducted from the rental, TASR wrote.

The school and its premises have not been used for six years.

Cvernovka on the move

The creatives have to move from the former thread factory after they failed to agree with the current owner of the premises, the Slovak-Finnish developer YIT Slovakia, on extension of rental agreements. The developer plans to reconstruct Cvernovka as well as re-develop the whole premises of the former factory which also gave the name to the community. The future function of the building is not yet known.

The Cvernovka Foundation was launched by members of the community last year, while the aim of the founders was to make Cvernovka a centre of creative industry, culture and social development as well as put an institutional framework to the community.

“Prospects that are in Cvernovka are unique in terms of extent while Cveronovka [community] is not bound to one concrete building or concrete premises,” said Bratislava Čavoj from Cvernovka as cited by the SITA newswire. “Maybe it looks that the project of Cvernovka is only for people from Cvernovka, but it is not true. It is an open project and we want to support all creative and talented people.”

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