Perhaps even today, the rooms of many households are decorated with products from the Bučovice Uměleckoprůmyslový (UP) factory. The local enterprise was even the largest furniture company in Czechoslovakia. It reached its peak in the 1970s, when housing estates were being built on a large scale and their inhabitants were looking for furnishings for their new apartments. The company was also one of the largest employers in the region.
Over time, however, the UP plants increasingly encountered the shortcomings of the centrally planned economy and limited export possibilities. And after the fall of the communist regime, the gates of the enterprise were finally closed in 1995. Since then, the site, which is over six hectares in size and is equivalent to about eight football fields, has been deteriorating. Despite the plans drawn up, even the private owner has done nothing about it since the beginning of the 21st century.
The municipal administration of Bučovice decided to address the unfortunate situation. Several years ago, the town bought the plant and began to demolish most of the 20 buildings on the site so that a new development site could be built there. The demolition did not only affect the prized Drucker Villa from the end of the 19th century. The rest of the factory will give way to modern apartment buildings and adjacent public spaces. The wider city centre will no longer be dominated by dilapidated halls, but instead, the possibilities for living, working and leisure will grow near the train station and Bučovice chateau.
The Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI) instrument supports two projects that are part of the overall revitalisation of the UP plants. The first one develops the blue-green infrastructure in the area. It will create public spaces on the site with sidewalks, a square, trees and greenery. The riverbed and banks of the flowing Litava River will also undergo a significant change. Flood protection will be built and the entire riverbank will be transformed into a grassy area with paths, benches and playgrounds. The plan emphasises the retention of rainwater (e.g. by means of permeable paving), which will then be used to irrigate the greenery. The park will become a pleasant public space for the residents of the planned 55 family houses and six apartment buildings.
The second project, which is a continuation of the blue-green infrastructure development, will expand parking options in the adjacent Nádražní Street. It envisages the construction of parking spaces for cars, but also for bicycles or scooters. The P+R (park and ride) and B+R (bike and ride) parking is intended to motivate the public to use public transport, which is more environmentally friendly than cars. In particular, many people travel to Brno from Bučovice every day for work, and the direct train connection is often faster than travelling by car, as roads and motorways are often congested at peak times. The planned reconstruction and electrification of the line, including the railway station in Bučovice, which will take place in the coming years under the responsibility of the Czech Railways Administration, will also contribute to making rail transport more attractive.
The blue-green infrastructure development will cost CZK 150 million, the subsidy from the ITI instrument will cover almost CZK 70 million of this figure. The parking in Nádražní Street will cost CZK 50 million, with CZK 23 million coming from the European level. According to the schedule, the entire revitalisation of the plant should be completed in 2028.
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