New wave of secession in Palic - Reconstruction of Big Balcony enters its final phase

Big Balcony, the central facility in Palic whose graciousness draws the attention of people since 1912, should receive the visitors of the next Film Festival in a new hall. Namely, after many years of dilapidation, the Directorate for Development of Subotica started reconstruction of that building in 2006 and the last, fourth phase of that reconstruction should be finished until summer.

Big Balcony, spanning about 3,300 square meters, is the tourist and cultural core of Palic and it was built a century ago in Secession style.

As Assistant Investment Director at the Directorate for Development of Subotica Bartus Kristijan told eKapija, the reconstruction of Big Balcony consists of five phases. The first three phases are finished and they included reconstruction of foundations, cellar, as well as reconstruction of roof, facade and carpentry.

- The works were completed in late 2008 when the facility got its characteristic yellow facade. The first phase of renovation was financed by the Ministry of Economy with 45 million dinars, the second phase cost 78 million dinars, set aside from the National Investment Plan (NIP), while the funds for the third phase were provided by the Ministry of Economy. It took over a year for the fourth phase to commence and it started in 2010. This phase includes works on internal installations, wall insulation, floor laying, organization of a big hall with an entrance and left wing, etc. There should be a kitchen in the cellar and a restaurant and a cafe on the ground floor, and this section should be rented out to a private person. The money for these works, which cost about 50 million dinars, has been provided by the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development - Bartus Kristijan explained for eKapija.

The fifth phase is currently in preparation and it will include works on the interior and those parts of Big Balcony that will be of general interest and won't be offered for rent - the first floor with a congress hall that will serve as a cinema hall during the Film Festival and as a space for organization of concerts, cocktail and reception parties during other manifestations.

The final look of the building will be designed by the Intermunicipal Cultural Heritage Preservation Institute, which works on adapting the interior to the style in which the facility was built in the first place. The fifth phase also envisages investment in alternative energy sources such as geothermal pumps, while the facility is now already equipped with gas installations.

The author of the main project is the Intermunicipal Cultural Heritage Preservation Institute, while contractors were PBG Inzenjering and SNB Gradnja from Subotica. The company that takes care of implementation of this project is Park Palic.