Draft Directive's Formulation Process Includes Commission's Participation.
Regensburg, Germany - A proposal by Astrid Freudenstein, the CSU mayoral candidate, to acquire and potentially redevelop the vacant Kaufhof building in the city centre has sparked debate and questions among citizens and city officials.
Freudenstein has expressed a desire to do something beneficial for the city centre, but the specifics of her plans remain unclear. The proposal involves acquiring the building, which is currently owned by a dubious ownership company that only holds 80% of the property. It is still uncertain how the CSU envisions acquiring the remaining 20% of the building.
The value of the Kaufhof building has been estimated by city administration experts to be less than ten million euros. However, an economic lawyer has predicted that the city could end up with millions in costs for a failed legal dispute over the appropriate price, if they were to attempt to pull the right of first refusal.
The proposal has generated interest and questions about what "doing something good" for the city centre could entail. Previous rumours about an Islamic cultural centre aimed to pressure the city into purchasing the property, but these plans were false and the sale was never completed. Freudenstein has not publicly detailed specific measures to acquire the building or plans to use it beneficially for Regensburg’s city centre.
The empty Kaufhof building has often been the subject of comments suggesting that something should be done with it. A video clip of Freudenstein's proposal about the Kaufhof building has been circulating on social media, fuelling the discussion.
It is unclear how the city could legally tear down the building without owning it. This uncertainty, along with the lack of concrete proposals from Freudenstein, has led to varying opinions within the CSU about the Kaufhof building.
Notably, a man who interrupted Freudenstein during a public event is a reporter who made headlines earlier in the year for spraying graffiti against the AfD and threatening passersby. Freudenstein's video about the Kaufhof building was not made with election campaign intentions.
Regensburg residents and city officials continue to discuss the potential future of the Kaufhof building, awaiting more information from Freudenstein and the CSU about their plans. The economic lawyer's prediction of potential costs for a failed legal dispute over the appropriate price remains relevant as the discussion continues.
