Property company considers renovation or demolition

On the 4th May, residents of block number 8 of the Alpenblick development in Cham were informed by the Hammer Retex AG property management company that they would have to find alternative accommodation in two years' time as the owners of the complex, the Risi Immobilien AG property company, had decided either the development was to be extensively renovated or even demolished with new flats built to replace them.
 
"We thought it was only proper to inform the residents first," said Bruno Kryenbühl of Hammer Retex. "I myself have known some of the residents for years so it was particularly difficult to tell them this news," he admitted. Nevertheless, he was astonished how much they all seemed to accept it, especially bearing in mind some of them had lived there for 40 years. "What was clear," added Kryenbühl, "was that something had to be done."
 
This block with around a dozen flats is one of ten such buildings built between 1963 and 1968 and designed by local architect Josef Stöckli. At the time, they were regarded very highly, built as they were with differing heights containing 402 flats in all.
 
As Kryenbühl confirmed, it may well be easier to demolish the building and start again from scratch rather than try to bring it up to today's standards with regard to energy efficiency and earthquake resistance.
 
One of the residents informed of the news on that Monday evening was Oscar Pache, aged 86, who took it all quite pragmatically. "I know at my age I am never going to come back here to live," he said, and added that he had applied to live in an old people's home, Fortunately he and his wife also have a house in the Ticino.
 
Residents affected will have the option of moving back but naturally the new levels of rents will not be as cheap as they are today.
 
The authorities in Cham are currently looking at possible plans presented to them.