Several buildings being demolished on the Zugerstrasse

Several buildings are currently being demolished at Zugerstrasse 64, 66, and 68 in Cham. A building permit application for the property has not yet been submitted, but initial plans do exist.
 

Cramped between the railway tracks and the main road, four buildings once stood at Zugerstrasse 64, 66, and 68 in Cham. Little now remains. From the end of January, excavators have been tearing into their facades, dismantling them piece by piece. Nothing is left of the long building that once housed a Denner supermarket, later an aquarium shop, and finally an Asian food restaurant.

The property is owned by Aula AG. As Nico Staub, member of the management board and head of real estate development, announced upon request, a new development is planned for the site: "42 apartments are currently planned, 9 of which will be affordable." Commercial spaces are also planned for the ground floor.

A building permit application has not yet been submitted, as Aula AG is awaiting the implementation of the revised local planning regulations for Cham. But because continuing to operate the existing buildings would not have been profitable, the decision was made to demolish them now. "If the buildings had remained occupied, we would have had to make significant investments," says Nico Staub. For example, the entire electrical system would have had to be replaced.

The construction site is located directly on the main road near the Eich bus stop. There is a residential building to the west, and the three blocks of the Eichstrasse neighbourhood are to the north, on the opposite side of the road.

Little remains of the four buildings            Photo: Kristina Gysi
View from the Eichmatt district: The now-demolished buildings are located in the centre of the image, near the bus stop.
View from the lake: The buildings were located directly adjacent to the railway tracks.       Photos: supplied/Aula AG

Demolition permit application not published
According to Sabrina Miskovic, head of building permit applications (Baugesuche) for the municipality of Cham, demolition work generally requires a permit. But these applications are only published "if public and neighbouring interests are significantly affected." These include "requirements related to the preservation of historical monuments", for example.

What exactly constitutes "neighbourly interests" could not be clarified within the editorial timeframe. The assessment is made on a case-by-case basis "by the responsible authority" and is based "on established practice." Providing "appropriate information" about the planned work is "at the discretion of the building owner."

As Nico Staub reports, the neighbourhood was informed about the demolition work by letter. The letter stated that the work is scheduled to be completed by the end of April. Anyone interested can already find out more about the planned construction project via a contact form.

Aula AG anticipates a construction period of two years after building permit approval, whereby the start date of the project also depends on any objections. Very roughly, it is estimated that the new "Rigiblick development" will be completed in 2028 or 2029. Until construction begins, the site will be a gravel parking area.