The vision sounds promising: a citizens’ park in the center with a new citizens’ hall. Upgrading of the townscape, green zones in the urban space. 100 percent ecological construction. Yes, there is even dreamy talk of a “small Jardin du Luxembourg” in the application by the Grünwalder Grünen, which deals with the replanning of the former Mahag property at Südliche Münchner Strasse 12 to 14. Alone, they could not convince the other factions in the municipal council. The motion was defeated by a vote of 20 to four.
The clear majority of the committee, as well as the administration, see neither a need nor the right time to change anything about the use of the property acquired by the municipality in 2011 and the buildings on it, which are no longer entirely brand new. According to the head of the building authority, Stefan Rothörl, asylum seekers and refugees are regularly accommodated in the houses, and the helpers’ group and the repair café also reside there. In addition, the post office has temporarily moved in, and the site also serves as a place to store equipment, vehicles or found bikes, for example for the building yard and TSV Grünwald.
“All of these uses are now an integral part of the former Mahag site,” said Rothörl. In the event of over-planning, replacements would have to be offered elsewhere. He also pointed out that Grünwald already has a wide range of leisure and cultural activities. The area should therefore be kept as a reserve property for the time being. A number of municipal councils, whether from the CSU, FDP or SPD, tended to agree with Rothörl’s statements and emphasized that the over-planning is more a task for the “next generation” of the municipal council. Oliver Schmidt (independent) said with regard to the central transport situation: “I don’t think that a Jardin du Luxembourg can be created there.” The Greens, who drew attention to the limited use of the property and the partly “mouldy” building, want to at least start a process: “Our application should also be food for thought,” said their councilor Bettina Schreyer.