Academy Park, a new modern building on the corner of Veveří and Šumavská, was officially opened yesterday, with 606 parking spaces and new premises for Brno’s parking administration. The outdoor car park has been beautified with a fountain, benches, and greenery.
The new car park provides 393 indoor parking spaces, and another 213 in a renovated outdoor parking lot. The Academy Park will also house commissioners from the Department of Vehicle and Driver Registration and staff from the contact centre for issuing parking and entry permits. The contact centre was previously located in rented offices on Zvonařka; moving to the new premises will thus save money for the City of Brno.
The roof of the car park has 32 spaces for cars powered by LPG and CNG. There are also eight spaces for electric cars and hybrids, which are marked with the inscription ‘eco’, but are not equipped with a charging station. The external car park has a special stand for eight motorcycles and two vehicles less than four metres in length. There are also nine outdoor and ten indoor spaces reserved for the disabled, and six spaces for families with children.
In addition, four spaces close to the exits are reserved for women, to ensure a higher level of safety and reduce the risk of assault. They will be in sight of security, and close to the exit with sufficient illumination. Other safety measures will include a camera system, lighting on all floors, and 24/7 security surveillance.
In the outdoor parking lot, there will also be the possibility to recharge electric cars, up to 40 vehicles at 20 charging stations, four of which are fast-charging. The outdoor area will operate in the Zone B mode of resident parking. The 4th floor of the building will provide long-term parking, which drivers can book by emailing parkovani@bkom.cz.
The facility will also include the first cyclo-boxes in Brno, operating as a trial. There are six garages for two bikes each, with a total capacity of 12. These can be rented only per box, not per bike, and payment will be cash only, though card payments may be added later depending on interest.
The Academy Park building consists of several intertwining blocks, constructed from various materials. It is equipped with a green roof with walkways, which helps sustainable management of rainwater, cools the surroundings, and improves the microclimate. The outdoor parking lot is constructed with distance paving to better absorb rainfall. 120 climbing plants are growing on part of the design facade, and six hornbeams are planted on the upper floor of the building. The surroundings of the car park are adorned with 70 trees, 385 shrubs, benches and a fountain, which will be managed by the Brno Public Greenery municipal company. Additional greenery has been planted in the adjacent Björnsonův sad.
“This parking garage is an example of how the City of Brno is working on a systemic parking solution,” said Petr Kratochvíl, Brno city councillor for transport. “It is a completed investment in the future that will support smoother and more sustainable transport in our city. The strategic location will allow people who leave their cars in Academy Park to take care of things in nearby institutions, universities or municipal offices or to take public transport and continue on, for example, to the city centre or other neighborhoods.”
The contractor for the project was Strabag, who completed the project for CZK 465 million excluding VAT. The City of Brno contributed more than 25% of this amount, specifically CZK 127 million from the Mobility Fund, which funded the construction of the outdoor areas, planting of greenery, and installation of electric chargers. The Academy Park will be administered and maintained by the Brněnské komunikace municipal company.
Short-term parking in the car park will cost 40 crowns per hour, with the first 15 minutes free of charge. Long-term parking with a permit will cost CZK 48,000 + VAT per year for businesses, and CZK 30,000 + VAT for individuals. The parking permit office will be open from 8am to 5pm on Mondays and Wednesdays, and 8am to 12pm on Fridays.
