Demolition of the historic Torkelstübles to build new refugee accommodation

Demolition of the historic Torkelstübles to build new refugee accommodation

At Turmgasse 1 in Überlingen, a historic building that was originally called “unterer Torkel” is being demolished. The house from the 18th century, which is part of Überlingen's history, most recently served as the location for a Diakonie shop. The demolition is intended to create space for a new building using system construction, which will be built for almost 3 million euros as accommodation for refugees.

The decision to demolish it came after a detailed examination by the architect Jörg Bohm revealed that the building could no longer be technically saved and that high costs would have been incurred for renovation. The city of Überlingen had already invested four million euros to bring the existing building up to current standards. With the new building, the city plans to create more space on five floors at a lower cost than renovating the old building.

Preparatory work for the demolition began shortly after Easter and the actual demolition work has already begun. The closure of Turmgasse and Spitalgasse to passage is necessary to ensure safety during the demolition process. The demolition of the building means the final disappearance of a piece of Überlingen's history, but the planned new development is a step towards creating urgently needed living space and accommodation options for refugees in the city.