Cost explosion for the castle tower: almost 13 million euros estimated!

Cost explosion for the castle tower: almost 13 million euros estimated!

In Neustrelitz, the debate about the reconstruction of the castle tower is becoming increasingly heated. What began more than five years ago with a cost estimate of 6.5 to 7 million euros has now increased to almost 13 million euros. This new cost estimate was presented by the MKK architects from Schwerin, and the forecasts are anything but stable. Loud Northern Courier The funding promised by the federal and state governments only covers half of the total costs for the construction project.

The discussion about the castle tower has been going on for over 25 years. In the last few weeks the pressure on the city council has become noticeable. Mayor Andreas Grund has proposed a higher property tax rate in order to generate up to 350,000 euros annually for the project. But not all factions are convinced. The SPD parliamentary group has positioned itself against the construction of the tower, while the CDU, the Greens, the FDP and the AfD are pushing for construction to begin quickly, even if financing is still incomplete. NDR reports an extremely irritable atmosphere at the last meeting of the city council, which was characterized by accusations and conflicts between the city representatives.

Architecture and technology

Technical details of the construction of the castle tower show that it will have a floor area of ​​628 square meters with a ground floor and five floors. Access is via stairs and an elevator, while the tower lantern will only be accessible to small groups. According to engineering company Dr. Apitz has rated the subsoil as the “best subsoil”, which improves the technical requirements for the project. A planned element, a second escape route, could be replaced in a financially optimized manner by installing a water mist extinguishing system instead of an outside staircase.

The facade design of the castle tower is also discussed. Both an exposed concrete facade and options for greenery or metal cladding are currently under discussion. According to the latest calculation, the exposed concrete facade could reduce the total costs by just 240,000 euros, which is not a significant amount given the existing financing gap of at least 3 million euros.

The financing of the future

The city faces the challenge of closing this funding gap, which, according to a current framework of the Urban development funding which allows the federal government to contribute 33.33% of the eligible costs. Negotiations on how to raise the remaining funds are urgently needed. Until the city council passes an implementing decision and clarifies the management costs, the project will remain a political football.

To provide further information, a public event will be held on July 14th to present the museum and usage concept for the castle tower in the cultural quarter. However, interested parties must register by July 4th at the latest.