The former freight yard in Žižkov is one of the most significant redevelopment sites in the broader downtown area of Prague. The city’s goal is to create a vibrant urban neighborhood here. This requires an amendment to the Land Use Plan, which currently allows for only limited development in the area.

The transformation of the area is centered on the freight station building as the heart of the future urban neighborhood. The main spine of the area is a tram line following the original railroad route, accompanied by a promenade for pedestrians and cyclists and a linear park that provides a green connection between the freight station building, the promenade, and, further on, Malešický Park and the forest.

News

The urban planning study incorporating elements of a regulatory plan (NNŽ Regulatory Master Plan), hereinafter referred to as the Study, was reviewed by the authorities of the Prague 3 municipal district and approved on September 5, 2022, by a resolution of the Prague 3 Municipal Council. Subsequently, the Study was approved by the Prague City Council on September 19, 2022.

The resolution of comments on the Study was completed on January 27, 2022, pursuant to Resolution No. 33/8 of the Prague City Council dated January 27, 2022.

Future Development

The Study allows for the creation of a predominantly residential development that, in terms of height and volume, will seamlessly blend with the existing surrounding buildings. Traditional blocks are proposed along the freight station building. In the center of the area and the eastern part of the former station grounds, a more open development structure and taller buildings are permitted. In the vicinity of Vackov and Jarov, lower-rise buildings are proposed. The capacity proposed by the study anticipates the creation of approximately 750,000 m² of gross floor area (GFA), to be used primarily for residential purposes and partially for commercial and administrative uses (without more detailed regulations). A significant amount of new community amenities is also planned for the neighborhood—a high school, two elementary schools, several preschools, and a cultural and community center in the freight station building.

Public Spaces

The study proposes a series of interconnected parks and public spaces. A key space in the neighborhood will be the atrium of the freight station building, which opens onto a central square with a tram stop. The square will be connected to a large linear park, which, beyond the bridge and further east along the tram tracks and Jarovská Street, continues as a green promenade for pedestrians and cyclists. The promenade will also connect to Malešický Park and Malešický Forest. Another park is proposed in the northern part of the area near Malešická Street, adjacent to the existing Židovské pece Park. The existing streets Malešická, K Červenému dvoru, and U Nákladového nádraží are planned for widening—they will feature wider sidewalks and tree-lined avenues.

Transportation Services

To serve the area with public transportation, a new tram line is proposed that will connect to Olšanská Street and run past the freight station building eastward to Jarov, where it will terminate in a loop on Habrová Street. In the future, it will be possible to extend the line all the way to Malešice. Several new stops will be built along with the new tram line. The existing streets Jana Želivského, Malešická, K Červenému dvoru, and U Nákladového nádraží will continue to serve the area. A new connection is proposed between Malešická Street and Českobrodská Street (the new Jarovská Avenue), which will strengthen eastbound traffic links and thus help divert traffic away from the overloaded Jana Želivského Street corridor and the Ohrada intersection. Jarovská Street is designed as a two-lane collector road. It runs along the corridor of the existing railroad line and connects to Českobrodská Street below Jarov, at the location of the planned future intersection with the City Beltway.