Historic Salesianum complex acquired by local family

The current owner of the historic Salesianum complex, the Alfred Müller AG property developing company, has announced it is selling the site to the N. Nikolajsen family, who are to extensively renovate the eighteenth-century buildings and an even older chapel (also visible in the photograph).

The announcement about the deal with the Alfred Müller AG company was announced early on Friday morning by the Nikolajsen Capital AG company of Grafenweg in the city. Three hours later the Department of Inner-Cantonal Affairs announced that it would no longer be using parts of the property for the accommodation of asylum-seekers after the end of February next year.

Mélanie Ryser, the head of marketing and communication at the Alfred Müller company, said that there were still a few outstanding matters in connection with the contract but mentioned how pleased the company was to have found a purchaser such as the Nikolajsen family, not least as the latter is prepared to put in so much money and effort in renovating the old buildings, formerly used for religious and educational purposes. This includes the St Karl Borromaeus chapel, which dates back to 1615. The new owners plan to open this as a museum about the history of the site and be available for public events. Other areas will be used for the accommodation of the Nikolajsen family, their friends, and employees and partners of the Bitcoin Suisse AG company, which Niklas Nikolajsen founded.

What should be made clear is the purchase and renovation of the historic buildings is a totally separate venture from a planned development of 56 two-to-six-room flats on the site. This has been delayed as a result of objections, the matter currently under consideration with the administrative court.