The new plans could mean that Vienna is still not removed from the UNESCO Red List, reported the “Kurier” (Saturday edition). Instead of a 74 meter high residential tower, the adapted plans envisage a 56.5 meter high building.
On the Red List since 2017
In July 2017, the historic center of Vienna was included in the UNESCO Red List of World Heritage Sites in Danger.
As recently as February, the city had sent a report to UNESCO, according to which these plans were judged to no longer pose a threat to the World Heritage. In a letter to the city, however, experts from ICOMOS now speak of “irreversible harmful effects” on the World Heritage site.
“Paper is not to be taken seriously”
President of the Landtag and World Heritage Commissioner Ernst Woller (SPÖ) speaks to the seven-page paper – he rejects the word expert opinion – but rejects the scientific nature. “This paper is unscientific, it’s superficial, it’s presumptuous, it gives us recommendations that an expert can’t actually make,” he told “Vienna Today” on Saturday. Woller was in Paris on Friday at the invitation of the World Heritage Center at UNESCO.
UNESCO heritage wobbles because of Heumarkt
Although the construction plans for the Heumarkt project have been revised so that Vienna’s city center does not lose its world cultural heritage status, this is now shaking. ICOMOS, UNESCO’s advisory body, does not give the new draft good marks.
One of the recommendations is to pay off the investor and abandon the project altogether. Woller explains the letter, among other things, by the fact that a completely new team has been working at Icomos since March. “This paper is not to be taken seriously, we as the Republic of Austria have strictly rejected it and we have received a lot of understanding from the representatives of the World Heritage Center,” he said, annoyed but also optimistic.
Worked “like a model student”.
Woller does not know who exactly wrote the paper. “So we can’t even have a dialogue.” The revised plan was sent to Paris in early February, and the city says all homework has been done. The 59-page proposed amendments received three years ago have been carefully considered.
“We have worked through all these recommendations like a model student, we are done with all the work.” A new reduced project was worked out with the investor. At UNESCO, it was said that they wanted the same expert who had prepared the very negative report four years ago. After a nine-month review, they were informed in December that the reduced project conformed to World Heritage standards.
New top management with “stricter teaching”
Woller explains the current letter, among other things, with the fact that there has been a new top management at ICOMOS since March. “And it’s obviously the case that another doctrine has prevailed, namely a much stricter doctrine.” They want to continue to hold on to the revised Heumarkt plans. These envisage a new building for the Hotel Intercontinental. The much-criticized high-rise tower is not coming, instead a wider building with apartments for seniors – 56 meters high instead of the original 74 meters.
Woller believes that a solution for the project is still possible. However, there is a delay. Because the meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Russia planned for June was cancelled. The decision as to whether Vienna should be removed from the Red List of World Heritage Sites in Danger has been delayed.
Criticism from ÖVP and FPÖ
Meanwhile, criticism of the city came from the opposition. “There are obviously still many unanswered questions in the Heumarkt case. What is needed now are consistent and constructive decisions,” said the designated state party chairman of the People’s Party Vienna City Councilor Karl Mahrer and planning spokeswoman for the municipal councilor Elisabeth Olischar in a joint broadcast on Saturday.
“The currently leaked news in the Heumarkt and UNESCO World Heritage case confirm our demand for a complete project stop,” renewed Vienna’s FPÖ state party chairman and city councilor Dominik Nepp, a core demand for freedom.