City of Wittmund at a standstill: eyesore” remains unsolved!

City of Wittmund at a standstill: eyesore” remains unsolved!

The “eyesore” in Wittmund city center has been a topic of conversation for some time. Mayor Rolf Claußen said that the city was in a difficult situation. You cannot take any direct action because the property is owned by the developer. This fact makes the situation particularly precarious because the building permit for the planned commercial building with apartments has already expired. According to the head of the building authority, Joachim Wulf, the city only has contact with the project developers as long as security on the property is guaranteed. However, the investor Gerstmeier is still planning to build on the corner of Drostenstrasse, leaving the citizens in uncertainty.

A look at the city center shows that the city administration often remains in a passive role. In many buildings she has no means of actively intervening. Stefan Duit, the chairman of ProWittmund, has called for a coherent overall concept to revitalize the city center. The question arises here: How can Wittmund increase its attractiveness? There are already positive approaches, for example the new café “In’t Stuuv” and the newly furnished rooms of the East Frisian Art Circle, which impressively show what is possible when private investments come into play.

Municipal initiatives and funding

The city of Wittmund is pursuing various projects to make the city center sustainable. These include, among other things, innovative concepts and action strategies that are supported by the federal government. These measures are intended not only to strengthen the characteristics of the city center, but also to further develop its economic function. The planned individual measures include the development of a new mission statement and the development of concepts for better accessibility of the city center by bike. A feasibility study on the marketing of regional products is also being planned.

• Einrichtung eines Verfügungsfonds für die Ortsbildaufwertung
• Belebung des Einzelhandels
• Reaktivierung von Leerständen
• Öffentlichkeitsarbeit und Imagebildung

The financial framework is clear: The city is planning to spend around 690,000 euros, with the total amount including the disposal fund being around 1,110,000 euros. Interestingly, the disposal fund will be increased with 419,600 euros of third-party funding, which shows that private investments are essential to advance the projects. The approval period for the funding project extends until August 31, 2025, which gives the city some time to take active steps and improve the city center as a whole.

However, the establishment of markets on Esenser Straße is criticized. Many city representatives see the danger of businesses moving away from the city center. An example is the drugstore “dm”, which requires a minimum area of ​​500 square meters of sales space and 120 square meters of storage space for its location. A challenge that is difficult to overcome in the city center.

In summary, the city of Wittmund must definitely become agile in order to attract private investors and to overcome the current challenges. Mayor Claußen's words and Stefan Duit's demands show that there is a clear will to revitalize the city center. Now it is important to take the right steps and involve citizens in order to work together on an attractive and functional city center.

For further details on the topic, see NWZ Online and Wittmund.de over.