Demolition of historic villas: Monument protection initiative calls for compulsory administration!

Demolition of historic villas: Monument protection initiative calls for compulsory administration!

In Vienna, the discussion about the demolition of historic buildings is causing a stir. Current demolitions, such as that of a villa at Pötzleinsdorfer Straße 47, which has now been razed to the ground after 30 years in a protection zone, confirm the concerns of the Monument Protection Initiative. This criticizes that the 2023 amendment to the Vienna Building Code is not enough to counteract the wave of demolitions. My district reports that the initiative therefore calls for compulsory administration of endangered buildings in order to ensure their preservation.

The discussion is fueled by decisions of the Vienna Administrative Court (VGW), which has issued demolition permits in several cases even though the responsible building authority, MA 37, had previously contradicted these. The demolition of the house at Billrothstrasse 43 was approved, even though MA 37 had rejected approval due to the historical significance of the building. The VGW found that renovation decades ago was unreasonable, which proved the owners right.

Regulatory challenges

The demolition of such buildings is all the more regrettable because it remains difficult to guarantee the preservation of historical buildings under the formal requirements of the 2023 amendment to the building regulations. Vice Mayor Kathrin Gaal (SPÖ) had already announced the “effective end of the economic crisis” in April 2023, but reality speaks a different language. Many other old buildings in Vienna are also in a dilapidated condition. A look at the current situation shows that without appropriate action, valuable time will be lost.

Despite these challenges, MA 37 maintains that the new regulation is effective because the number of demolitions has fallen significantly. District leader Daniel Resch (ÖVP) assures that he is against such demolitions, but must trust the authorities. “I can only appeal,” he says, emphasizing that the current demolition is not desired.

Political reactions and measures

In addition to the amendment to the building regulations, the National Council recently passed a comprehensive amendment to the Monument Protection Act, which aims to better protect historical buildings and strengthen the Federal Monuments Office. On this was reported that new liability regulations should be introduced and funding should be significantly increased. The aim is to put a stop to speculation with listed buildings and to ensure that they are worth preserving.

In plain language this means: In accordance with the new framework conditions, protection positions should be implemented more easily. However, there are also critical voices at the political level. The SPÖ complains that important discussions are missing and that the regulations are not far-reaching enough, while the Greens acknowledge some progress. However, there is agreement that urgent measures are necessary to protect historic buildings.

The future of Vienna's monument protection and the preservation of historical buildings remain on the political agenda - a challenge that affects all actors in the city. Let us be surprised to see whether the required compulsory administrations will become reality and whether we will be able to preserve not only old walls but also the city's cultural heritage.