Laakirchen’s urban development is finally picking up speed

Laakirchen has been a municipality for 15 years. But you will look in vain for a historic town centre. Therefore, the redesign of the town center has been discussed for a long time. The population was consulted and plans were presented. However, little has happened – with the exception of the construction of a new town hall.

traffic calming

But things should finally be moving now. Yesterday Mayor Fritz Feichtinger (SPÖ) presented far-reaching plans for inner city development, which the political groups agreed on. They come from the Laakirchner architect Georg Hochleitner, who brought in the internationally renowned Graz architect Martin Lesjak for support. The considerations of the two envisage the following:

The through town is traffic-calmed by a meeting zone (20 km/h) between the town hall and Billa. The prerequisite is the construction of a bypass road east of it.

The war memorial is to be moved to the cemetery. In its place will be a marketplace that will also be used for events.

A city park and three residential buildings are being built on the Atzlinger grounds, under which a parking deck is planned. The area is connected to the city center within walking distance via an underpass under the ÖBB line.

The Raiffeisenbank Salzkammergut is renovating its dilapidated branch in the center and will rent part of the building to entrepreneurs.

The city council also wants to start building. On the one hand, a cultural center is planned at the market square – also as a meeting place for young people. On the other hand, the buildings that the city has gradually bought over the past few decades (and some of which are empty) are to be renovated and marketed.

Not only service providers (e.g. doctors) and companies should be lured into the city center. Hotel beds, co-working jobs and “temporary living” should also be possible. Last but not least, the planners are also responding to the needs of industrial companies.

“Our vision is a sustainable revitalization of the city center – socially, ecologically and economically,” says Mayor Feichtinger. “Laakirchen’s center should become a meeting place where people like to be and which provides a good environment for companies.”

It is clear to everyone in the town hall that it will take many years to realize the plans for the development of the town centre. That is why the overall concept is “modular”. This means that the individual projects can be gradually implemented independently of one another. “A lot will have to be discussed on a case-by-case basis,” says Feichtinger. “But the route is now clear.”

Planning team formed

A planning team was set up for implementation, consisting of the architects, the mayor, head of office Joachim Winter and Kirchham’s former mayor. D. Hans Kronberger and Raiffeisen-Salzkammergut boss Klaus Ahammer (both as consultants). The team will regularly involve the planning committee and thus the four factions.