Major changes ahead for Bahnhofstrasse

The municipality of Baar has seen many changes in recent years. Indeed, with a population of over 20,000 now, it is more of a town in its own right.
 
Now more changes are expected, on Bahnhofstrasse this time, where new multi-family dwelling units, some with commercial premises, are planned.
 
Three families owing somewhat dated apartment blocks on Bahnhofstrasse, namely those at numbers 18-22 as well as at number 34 Dorfstrasse, along with the Allest AG company, have joined together and commissioned the Martin Lenz AG company to represent them and develop this new project to the designs of the 2Eck GmbH firm of architects, also of Baar.
 
Last week the families behind the plans, the Niederbergers, Wettachs and Utigers, invited neighbours directly affected and other people interested to an information evening, which was very well attended.
 
Ernst Niederberger, who himself has lived on Bahnhofstrasse for 37 years, began by saying what changes the municipality had seen in recent years, with the Bahnhöfli, Waldmann and Kreuz restaurants having gone and the Neumühle Silo having been replaced by the Neumühle development, not to mention the Coop and Migros moving there, too. “We have all experienced these changes together and now more changes are about to take place on Bahnhofstrasse,” he said.
 
Architect Ljupco Gjorgjiev went on to explain how each of the families planned to build their own multi-family dwelling unit, each different yet forming part of a uniform whole, two sharing a garage and entrance. Some of the new buildings planned will be integrated into existing structures, for example, there will still be an arcade for pedestrians linking up with Dorfstrasse, and the footpath to Martinspark will not only remain but be upgraded.
 
The two buildings planned on for Bahnhofstrasse itself will have their ground and first floors reserved for commercial use, whereas the one planned for the site at number 20 will consists of flats only. Locals were reassured that, although buildings with up to five storeys were planned, there would be no high-rise buildings. As to parking spaces, these were to be limited to 44 underground ones and 4 surface ones, with 113 places to store bikes, too.
 
Locals can still see the plans for the development at the municipal offices until Monday 19 June. If all goes well at a residents’ meeting in December, construction could start as early as autumn of 2018.
 
The latest news on this is that the property at number 34 Dorfstrasse is not to be renovated, so a new-build could also form part of this larger, integrated, development.