Detailed Information on the Renovation

The renovation of the Grössling Baths is a comprehensive restoration project for a historic building, aimed at restoring its original function while adapting it to the city’s current needs.

The building, whose individual sections were constructed in 1895, 1914, and 1929, has undergone several renovations in the past. The most extensive renovation took place between 1972 and 1975. However, this renovation did not affect the building’s basic structure, and therefore a comprehensive renovation is now necessary, including new pool structures, roofs, and technical infrastructure. The result will be a complete restoration of the building.

The reconstruction includes the restoration of the original baths – the block of buildings on Kúpeľná and Medená Streets – as well as the reconstruction of the building at Vajanského nábrežie 11. Within the public spaces, roads and public areas will be reconstructed according to the map below.

 

Project Phases

• Phase 1: Renovation of the original spa buildings (the block of buildings on Medená and Kúpeľná Streets)
• Phase 2: Renovation of public spaces, roads, and sidewalks (Medená and Kúpeľná Streets)
• Phase 3: Renovation of the building at Vajanského nábrežie 11

Estimated construction timeline and process

The total renovation of Phases 1 and 2 will take approximately 30 months and will involve the gradual restoration of the buildings and adjacent public spaces.

The third phase, involving the renovation of the building at Vajanského nábrežie 11, will be carried out in coordination with the construction of a neighboring private development. The building will serve as a separate sauna area, and the timing of its renovation is aligned with the neighboring construction to prevent any potential conflicts.

Work on the buildings in the first phase begins with demolition, during which the roofs will be opened and selected structures will be removed, including the pools and technical equipment located in the basements. In this phase, we are also removing, for example, the original safes from the basement that were used by the bank, and we are demolishing the foundation slabs. This phase will last approximately 12 months in total.

This phase will result in temporary restrictions primarily in the immediate vicinity of the building. It will be necessary to temporarily remove parking spaces adjacent to the property in order to safely carry out demolition works and facilitate the removal of construction waste and materials. A construction yard will be established on the plot adjacent to Vajanského nábrežie 11, which will also serve as the project’s site facilities and material storage area.

Starting from 17 June 2026, parking spaces will gradually be taken out of service. During the initial demolition phase, 13 parking spaces will be temporarily removed:

• 6 parking spaces at the beginning of Kúpeľná Street,
• 7 parking spaces located between the park and the building.

At the same time, 3 new parking spaces will be created on Medená Street in the section currently marked with a zig-zag road marking. As a result, the net temporary reduction will amount to 10 parking spaces.

Within the affected area, 26 parking spaces will be designated exclusively for residents and marked with the “P – Residents” traffic sign. This means that these spaces will be available only to residents of the parking zone and will no longer be accessible for short-term visitor parking.

To minimize traffic impacts within the area, the section of Kúpeľná Street between Vajanského nábrežie and the entrance to the courtyard on Kúpeľná Street will be temporarily converted to two-way traffic. This will allow delivery and construction vehicles to leave the site after unloading without having to drive through the entire neighbourhood.

At the same time, a survey of resident and non-resident vehicle occupancy is currently being conducted in the area to obtain accurate data on parking utilization during both daytime and evening hours. These counts will be repeated periodically throughout the project. Based on the collected data and subsequent evaluations, we will be able to assess whether any additional measures are necessary.

Work will also take place on weekends, but noisy activities will be limited on weekends, especially on Sundays.

During the project, there may be temporary disruptions in the surrounding area – primarily increased noise, traffic restrictions, or movement restrictions in the immediate vicinity of the construction site. All work will be carried out in accordance with applicable regulations and with an emphasis on minimizing negative impacts on the surrounding area.

We will communicate all known restrictions in advance through property managers or owners’ representatives so that you receive the information in a timely manner. At this time, we do not anticipate significant restrictions, only one-time disruptions – for example, during the installation of a crane, Kúpeľná Street will be closed for several hours.

Work in public spaces will begin only after demolition work is completed; therefore, the second phase – the reconstruction of public spaces, roads, and sidewalks (Medená and Kúpeľná Streets) – is expected in 2027.

 

What has been done in the building so far

We began preparing the Grössling Baths renovation project in 2020 by announcing an international architectural competition. Seventy-seven studios from 16 countries around the world entered this competition – the largest to date. After two rounds, the Italian studio OPPS Architettura from Florence emerged as the winner.

We then began the design phase, which took approximately two years, and the permitting process, which also took about two years. In 2025, we announced a public tender for the construction contractor.

During the design and permitting process, we also carried out preliminary construction work. We repaired a misaligned chimney, which required dismantling part of it and then rebuilding it. We removed the 1970s additions and carried out demolition work in three phases, during which we removed more than 1,500 tons of non-load-bearing structures – mostly from 1972-1975. As a final step, we carried out the restoration of the original steam boilers.

 

A brief history and the future of the building

The Grössling Baths building dates back to 1895; it was expanded in 1914 and subsequently extended with an addition in 1929 toward Vajanského Embankment.

Originally, the spa featured eight pools, four saunas, facilities for balneotherapy (such as iodine baths and various treatments), and a hygienic bath.

The architects of the individual phases were:

• Adalbert Swoboda (1895)
• Lajos Gratzl (1914)
• Friedrich Weinwurm a Ignác Vécsei (1929)

The spa treatments and some of the pools were discontinued in 1942 when the spa was acquired by the Sedliacka Bank under the leadership of Fraňo Tiso.

The building was permanently closed in 1994, by which time only the swimming pool remained in operation. The city leased the building to a private investor in 2007 and reclaimed it in 2018.

New Baths

As part of the baths renovation, a total of seven pools will be created, including a swimming pool, four hot soaking pools, a cooling pool, and an outdoor pool. The new baths will build on Grössling’s historical tradition while introducing contemporary urban baths standards, with an emphasis on the quality of the environment, architecture, and the overall visitor experience.

The baths will also include saunas, massage services, and spaces for various treatments. Visitors will have access to a sun terrace and relaxation zones, creating a natural setting for both relaxation and socializing. The layout of the baths is designed to offer various levels of privacy and types of experiences—from quieter relaxation zones to more social spaces.

The renovation respects the building’s original architectural values and sensitively adds new layers, creating a connection between history and modern use. The baths will thus become not only a place of rest and regeneration, but also an important part of city life.

 

New City Library

A branch of the library will also move into the former administrative section of the building. It will move from Laurinská Street, where it had approximately 900 m² at its disposal, to the Grössling premises, where it will have nearly 2,000 m². The significantly larger capacity will allow for the creation of a higher-quality environment for library collections, study, individual work, and community activities. The new concept will also include spaces for events, workshops, and smaller gatherings.

The new library will also feature a separate children’s zone and a café area with daily newspapers and a selection of new book releases, creating an open and vibrant space for learning, socializing, and leisure.

The library will be located in a separate wing of the building on Medená Street, in spaces that previously served as a bank branch.

New Park and Public Space

The newly created park, together with the adjacent public space, will form a natural entrance area to the library and, at the same time, a new space for everyday urban life. The area will be designed with an emphasis on both quality of stay and functionality – it will feature seating areas, bike racks, an adequate number of trash cans, new public lighting, and durable stone paving.

The new material and spatial design will also connect the area between Vajanského Embankment and Tobrucká Street, thereby improving accessibility, orientation, and the overall quality of the urban environment. The traffic modifications will also include making part of the road one-way, which will help preserve parking capacity in the area. However, parking spaces in the immediate area between the building, the library, and the new park will be removed to make way for a higher-quality public space and greenery. Upon completion of the reconstruction works in the area between the building and the park, 14 parking spaces will be permanently removed. We will seek to compensate for this reduction by creating replacement parking capacity and, where appropriate, by expanding resident parking provisions within the zone.