Werder sells historic daycare center: new opportunities for the old town!

Werder sells historic daycare center: new opportunities for the old town!

The city of Werder is planning to sell an abandoned daycare center in the old town. The historic building, which was built around 1900 and is located right next to the old town hall, is to be sold or leased. The city council recently approved the awarding of the building to a leasehold tenant, which creates the opportunity to revitalize the area there.

In order to quickly find a suitable leaseholder, a deadline of three months after publication in the official gazette applies. The leasehold agreement, which is intended to run for a period of 99 years, obliges the tenant to renovate and convert the building. An initiative by the SPD parliamentary group to keep the historic building in city ownership was rejected, as was the proposal to transfer the building to the city's house and property company. If no acceptable tenant can be found, the city plans to sell the building for at least 1,050,000 euros.

Key financial data and property values

The area of ​​land on which the daycare center is located is almost 400 square meters and is designated as residential building space. With a total usable area of ​​415 square meters and a predominantly two-story structure that includes a partially converted attic, the building offers a good starting point for future uses. The standard land value for building land on the island of Werder is 410 euros per square meter. The property value therefore amounts to 243,130 euros, while the building value is 793,000 euros. The former daycare center has not been in operation since 2023, and despite the Potsdam-Mittelmark district's approval for a renovation for administrative purposes, the city is hesitant due to the costs and time required.

A critical voice came from the deputy SPD parliamentary group leader, who questioned the sale of the valuable object. She advocated using the building as a club or multi-generational house in order to benefit the local community.

Leasehold building law as a design tool

Leasehold building rights are seen not only in Werder, but also in other municipalities, as an opportunity to realize long-term projects and to secure the municipalities' design sovereignty. For example, an area in Neuweiler is leased to create a nursing home group and other services for older people. The property is also leased to the citizens' cooperative for 99 years, and the ground rent is only 1% of the property value. This form of awarding enables municipalities to promote the well-being of their citizens through strategic partnerships with cooperative structures and at the same time maintain legal security.

The municipalities of Marbach and Tengen, which use leasehold building rights for their urban development projects, are also showing similar approaches. Experts recommend this practice because it not only reduces financial burdens on building applicants, especially young families, but also offers long-term benefits in terms of land supply policy. In addition, specific conditions can be set when granting the leasehold building right, which gives municipalities additional control and leeway.

Overall, it is clear that leasehold building law is a flexible instrument for creating living space options and for strengthening municipal decision-making power, as the current discussion in Werder makes clear. Further information on this topic can be found at MAZ online and The community.