Official opening of comprehensively reconstructed building of the First School of Economy in Zagreb

The post-earthquake reconstruction of the First School of Economy in Medulićeva Street, encompassing 5,574 m2, has been completed – energy efficiency renovation and the completion of the ceremonial hall now remain. The school has been active at this location since 1883, and, among numerous guests, the official opening was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets Branko Bačić.

Principal Krešimir Vukelić expressed his gratitude to the Vladimir Prelog School of Natural Sciences and the Industrial Engineering School for accommodating students and staff during reconstruction.
“Returning to the school came at the perfect moment - at the start of the education reform and modular classes. This year we introduce a grammar school programme and we have enrolled two grammar school class units,” Principal Vukelić said.

The First School of Economy is the oldest commercial school in Croatia, continuously active since its establishment. Today it accommodates approximately 1000 students across 40 class units, and it is located in a protected cultural-historical part of the city.

“The building itself is an individual protected cultural property - which made the reconstruction even more challenging. The Government made a crucial decision at the beginning of the post-earthquake reconstruction not to opt for the process of returning to the previous state, but for the process of contemporary, modern structural reconstruction. Even though this process is somewhat slower and more expensive, it is safer and more cost effective in the long run for those of you who will use the building,” Minister Bačić said in his speech.

The building was severely damaged by the 2020 earthquakes in Zagreb and its vicinity, but following the comprehensive reconstruction, it is now statically reinforced. The energy efficiency renovation will soon follow, which envisages thermal energy savings by 49.3% and primary energy savings by 46.3%. The installation of heat pumps as a renewable energy source is also planned.

The project is worth 19.94 million euro and it is primarily financed from two European funds - 9.47 million euro from the EU Solidarity Fund and 10.46 million euro from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The structural reconstruction is partly financed from the state budget, while additional funds have been secured to comply with the requirements set by conservation experts to preserve the historical appearance of the building.

Wider revitalisation plan of scientific and educational infrastructure

The reconstruction of primary schools and educational institutions will continue, Mayor of Zagreb Tomislav Tomašević said.

“The Tituš Brezovački Grammar School, comprehensively renovated in cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the City of Zagreb, accommodated students and staff of the XVIII Grammar School. Such solidarity will continue while we expand primary schools to achieve a single-shift schedule and while we upgrade secondary schools,” the Mayor said.

The comprehensive reconstruction of the First School of Economy is part of a wider revitalisation plan of scientific and educational infrastructure. At the national level, 260 projects worth 852 million euro have been contracted so far - 150 referring to schools and kindergartens, 34 referring to high-education institutions. Only in Zagreb, there are 189 projects contracted worth over 764 million euro, which clearly indicates the importance of investing in education.

The reconstruction of this building is also the last of eight comprehensive reconstruction projects, carried out by the City of Zagreb on primary and secondary schools and one student dormitory, encompassing a total of 31,209 m². These projects amount to 92.2 million euro, whereby more than half of the amount has been secured from the EU Solidarity Fund and the rest from the NRRP and the state budget.

Minister Bačić announced that very soon the decision would be made to select a contractor for the Lower Town block, including the First School of Economy in Medulićeva Street, which would be reconstructed jointly.

The project entails approximately 160 housing units so, as he pointed out, this entire part of Zagreb in Lower Town will receive a new appearance and higher-quality apartments. “This is a historical reconstruction which encompasses a large number of, almost entirely, public buildings, including numerous buildings classified as individual protected cultural properties which house public administration employees.

Minister Bačić also pointed out that the reconstruction process is halfway through in terms of time schedule. The plan is for all replacement houses to be constructed and occupied by mid-2027, and the remaining objects, namely multiapartment blocks - which are financially, structurally and operationally significantly more challenging - are expected to be completed by the end of 2030.

Currently, there are 7,786 active construction sites in the area of the Zagreb and Petrinja earthquakes - 153 of them referring to reconstruction projects of public assets. Since the beginning of reconstruction, 3.98 billion euro has been spent - 2.31 billion euro for the Zagreb earthquake and 1.67 billion euro for the Petrinja earthquake.
 

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