Big plans for Karlin: from old working-class district to attractive residential area
Exactly two years ago, the Czech Republic was hit by devastating floods. With 17 deaths and thousands of people evacuated from their homes, one third of the country experienced floods that in some places were the worst in 500 years. But while life has returned back to normal in most of the affected areas, one area - Prague's Karlin district still looks more like a big construction site. Seven buildings had to be torn down and many of the 1,100 houses that were flooded are still damp and experts only recently began applying special microscopic fungi to affected walls to stop them from becoming dangerous. With insufficient funding and the fear of more floods, many lack the motivation to invest into their homes. The Prague 8 district is also running out of money. It has already spent over one billion Czech crowns on repairs and reconstruction and is now looking for funds for the last of eight houses that are under its management. But while home owners, small businesses, and the town hall are not expecting the district to flourish any time soon, a consortium of national and foreign investors has big plans.
