In RESTAURO 4/2016, which was published at the beginning of June 2016, we reported on two monuments in Berlin-Grünau that are being neglected by their current owner. Now citizens are taking action through the AG Ortsgestaltung to save the so-called Riviera and the Gesellschaftshaus from decay. A detailed report. Riviera, Gesellschaftshaus and Kavaliershaus – the legendary excursion pubs on the banks […]
In RESTAURO 4/2016, which was published at the beginning of June 2016, we reported on two monuments in Berlin-Grünau that are being neglected by their current owner. Now citizens are taking action through the AG Ortsgestaltung to save the so-called Riviera and the Gesellschaftshaus from decay. A detailed report.
Riviera, Gesellschaftshaus and Kavaliershaus – the legendary excursion pubs on the banks of the Dahme were built at the end of the 19th century and were known far beyond the borders of Berlin-Grünau. For decades, it was not only possible to have a “hot seat” here and enjoy a meal in the palm-fringed garden, but also to watch the competitions of the “Great Grünau Regatta” from the grandstand. In 1977, the urban ensemble was placed under a preservation order.
When the restaurant closed in 1991, the site became the property of the Treuhand Liegenschaftsgesellschaft (TLG). Since 2006, the ensemble has belonged to the Turkish entrepreneur Refika Erdem in Ankara. Although the purchase price at the time was more than reasonable in view of the listed status (it is said to have been around 650,000 euros), the purchase contract did not stipulate any conservation requirements. The Kavaliershaus was demolished in 1999.
Using all the legal means available to it, the owner has so far successfully resisted the statutory maintenance obligations. Since 2013, the Treptow-Köpenick district office has issued several preservation orders. The legal disputes as well as the implementation of safety measures tie up human and financial resources on the part of the district. The cost of scaffolding, for example, which the building authority had erected to secure the Riviera ballroom, amounted to well over 100,000 euros. However, the administrative court saw no acute risk of collapse and ruled in favor of the plaintiff in January 2016. The court disregarded the fact that the safety measure also served to preserve the stucco ceilings in the historic halls. The district authority now intends to appeal.
While the parties involved are arguing in court, the two listed buildings are visibly deteriorating: due to a lack of repair measures and inadequate securing of the entrances, massive losses of building fabric and vandalism damage can now be observed. The cost of restoration is currently estimated at 15 million euros. Is the owner condoning the further deterioration of the listed buildings in order to be able to sell the site at higher prices after an inevitable demolition? Once the speculation period expires in June 2016, the ensemble could also be sold again without any tax disadvantages.
High-rise building instead of listed building?
A study that envisaged converting the buildings into a congress hotel was not pursued further. Nor did the owner come up with any other sensible alternatives, but merely submitted a planning application for a high-rise building. As the site is located in an unplanned inner area, the construction of residential complexes would certainly be possible, says Ulrike Zeidler, head of the building inspection/monument protection department at the Treptow-Köpenick district office. However, these would have to fit in with the character of the immediate surroundings and also meet various other test criteria. Nils-R. Schultze does not consider a high-rise building on the banks of the Dahme to be approvable under any circumstances. The Grünau resident is a member of the AG Ortsgestaltung, which has been fighting for years to preserve the two remaining architectural monuments.
The citizens’ association is aiming to revive the Gesellschaftshaus and Riviera for public use. At the beginning of May 2016, a residents’ petition was submitted to the district office, followed by a citizens’ petition.
A drone film, which can be viewed on the AG Ortsgestaltung website, shows the condition of the ensemble.
