Externally, the historic town hall is a building that characterizes the center of Wiesbaden.

A decorative, imposing building that refers to the time when Wiesbaden was a residential and spa town of some importance.

But inside the town hall on Schlossplatz, the structural sadness is just as unmistakable as the renovation backlog.

"The town hall requires extensive technical renovation," says a draft signed by Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende and Treasurer Axel Imholz (both SPD).

Oliver Bock

Correspondent for the Rhein-Main-Zeitung for the Rheingau-Taunus district and for Wiesbaden.

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That means: A little color is not enough in this case.

Fire protection must be upgraded, as must ventilation.

The fact that a lot has accumulated can be seen from the fact that the last general renovation of the more than 130-year-old building took place between 1986 and 1989.

After a Europe-wide tender, a Wiesbaden company was commissioned to plan the inevitable upgrading.

Fire protection is considered "not ensured"

The list of defects in the building is long: the entire system technology has reached or exceeded its life cycle.

The cooling no longer meets the workplace requirements.

The drinking water supply no longer meets the legal requirements.

Not to mention the ventilation and the condition of the data lines.

Fire protection is considered "not guaranteed" because the regulations have changed significantly since 1987.

Important facilities in the building are not adequately protected against vandalism or even terrorist attacks.

Accessibility is only given when the main elevator is working.

In addition, the insulation of the roof is inadequate, which is why the house has "disproportionately high heating and cooling requirements" according to the template.

The 33-year-old windows would also have to be replaced, as their insulating effect against high and low temperatures and noise is insufficient.

Toilets and meeting rooms urgently need to be renovated.

Excessive costs keep the committees busy

In short: the town hall needs a general renovation.

The planners presented four option models that would result in costs between 59 and 81 million euros.

The magistrate voted for variant "2b".

It stays just under the most expensive "comfort" variant, but in addition to many technical improvements, this variant includes a covered inner courtyard that can be used in a variety of ways as a "citizens' forum".

"As a public meeting place, the newly created citizens' forum promotes integration and social exchange between citizens, allows consumption-free stays and enables a wide range of events in all weather conditions."

Meanwhile, the escalating costs are already occupying the committees.

In the revision committee, its chairman Felix Kisseler (Die Grünen) questioned the "massive cost development" after a few years ago there had been talk of two million euros.

Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende (SPD) pointed out that the planning funds had already been approved and that advice should be left to the competent committees.

This discussion touched on the Audit Committee's self-image: is it essentially a pure auditing committee, as Mende put it, or is it always in demand when unscheduled and over-planned expenditure is pending in the state capital and when costs seem to be getting out of hand, how Kisseler claims it for the committee?

Conservation and ecology

In any case, the renovation should be closely coordinated with the monument protection and become a kind of "pilot project" to ensure that monument preservation is not in conflict with ecology and sustainability.

The concrete planning should be completed by the end of the year.

Until then, the room concept will remain flexible.

For the time being, however, the employees, including the mayor, do not have to look for new offices.

The extensive refurbishment should only take place between 2025 and 2029.

During this period, the administration is to move to the atrium building on Gustav-Stresemann-Ring, which is currently still used by the European Business School.

According to the zeitgeist

The so-called new town hall, together with the city palace opposite, in which the state parliament resides, and the market church form an urban ensemble that characterizes Wiesbaden's city center.

The town hall was built between 1884 and 1887 on the area between Marktstraße and Marktkirche and was intended to replace the administrative headquarters from the early 17th century, which had become much too small.

At the time, eight houses had to be demolished to create enough space next to the church.

Georg von Hauberrisser, who had become known for his town hall design in Munich, was commissioned to design a town hall in the style of the German Renaissance.

According to the zeitgeist, as Bernd Blisch writes in his chronicle "Kleine Wiesbadener Stadtgeschichte", the town hall should be at least as large and magnificent as the city palace opposite.

During the Second World War, the ornate main facade of the town hall was largely destroyed and rebuilt in a simplified form after the end of the war.

In the course of the reconstruction, historical parts such as the vaulted entrance hall, the stairwell and the wide hallway on the first floor were retained.