On Wednesday, January 3, 2024, Matyáš Vitík, the spokesperson for the Czech Post, announced that the main post office building in Jindřišská Street in the center of Prague, listed for a starting price of 1.538 billion crowns, attracted no bidders. Similarly, there was no buyer for the post office building in Moravská Street, Vinohrady, with a starting price of 62.4 million crowns.
Interested parties had until December 20 to register for the selection procedure. Vitík stated that they are currently addressing the following steps from a legal perspective. He added, “We still count on selling the complex this year.”
The post office reportedly plans to negotiate with the Prague City Hall, which has shown interest in the buildings and had the opportunity to match the highest bid in the selection procedure. Even after a potential sale, the main post office branch is intended to be preserved. The new owner will need to sign a lease agreement with the post office, just as for other parts of the building. The building currently houses, among other things, the company’s management.
The building was built between 1871 and 1890, with its first major reconstruction occurring between 1896 and 1899. Another significant reconstruction occurred between 1912 and 1921. These factors influenced the real estate valuation, which formed the basis for calculating the starting price. The last major renovation was carried out by builders between 1996 and 1999.
The sale of the properties is part of the Czech Post’s efforts to stabilize its operations. In 2022, the company ended with a loss of 1.7 billion crowns, and it anticipates further losses for the past year. The company is set to transform into an operator of branches and commercial Parcels within two years.