Thursday, 5 February 2026
Cresco Real Estate, together with co-investor WOOD & Company, has introduced the Yards Žižkov residential development planned for the site of the former Žižkov freight station in Prague. The project is part of the gradual redevelopment of one of the city’s largest brownfield areas and is scheduled to be delivered in two phases. In total, more than 1,100 apartments are planned, alongside public spaces, local services and a kindergarten. Construction of the first phase, which will include approximately 520 apartments, is expected to start in the first quarter of the year, with the first completions targeted for 2028.
The scheme will offer apartments ranging from studio layouts to five-room units, with floor areas from around 20 to 158 square metres. Each apartment is planned to include either a balcony, terrace or private garden area. According to the developer, the standard specification will include underfloor heating, triple-glazed windows, exterior shading and energy-efficient technologies intended to reduce long-term operating costs.
Aleš Svatoň, CEO of Cresco Real Estate Czech Republic, said the project reflects the company’s broader view of residential development. “The Yards Žižkov project builds on our long-term approach to residential development, where we view housing in the broader context of the city, public space, and the everyday needs of its residents,” he stated.
The name Yards Žižkov refers both to the railway history of the location and to the inner courtyards that will form central elements of each construction phase. The project is designed as a mixed urban district intended to connect with surrounding neighbourhoods through public areas and services. Plans include ground-floor retail and service units, landscaped courtyards, a green promenade and a new square. The development also includes a five-class kindergarten with capacity for 125 children, as well as a financial contribution toward expanding a nearby elementary school.
As part of the land acquisition, Cresco Real Estate and WOOD & Company assumed previously agreed obligations toward the Prague 3 district amounting to CZK 167 million. These commitments cover the construction of the kindergarten, improvements to public spaces, transport connections and other elements of local infrastructure.
Pavel Dobeš, Deputy Mayor of Prague 3, emphasised the importance of linking residential construction with public facilities. “For us as a city district, it was and is essential that the construction of thousands of new apartments in this location be accompanied by public amenities,” he said, adding that the planned tram line running through the area would be an important addition to local transport capacity.
The development site is planned to benefit from improved accessibility through a new tram line and stop in the immediate vicinity, alongside pedestrian-oriented planning and proximity to everyday services. The architectural and urban concept is being prepared in cooperation with QARTA Architektura, a Prague-based studio with experience in brownfield regeneration. The design references the industrial history of the former freight station while adapting the layout to contemporary residential standards.
Project architect Jiří Řezák of QARTA Architektura said the aim is to maintain a link to the site’s past while integrating it into the emerging district. “The architecture is inspired by the history of the location in its details and transformed into a contemporary concept,” he noted.
