Focus on the city center

How St. Pölten’s city center is to become lively and sexy

The view of the city center in the provincial capital is differentiated. For the SPÖ, the footfall is good - so everything is fine? The ÖVP does not trust the figures and sees rising vacancy rates. They are presenting a list of demands. A heated debate is therefore looming in the town hall.

Is visitor frequency the holy of holies in a city center assessment? And is this appropriate in St. Pölten? These are questions that the ÖVP in the provincial capital would like to get to the bottom of.

More and more empty stores
As reported, current location analyses show that St. Pölten has the highest increase in vacancies in Austria. In addition, 10.5 percent of commercial space - including retail premises undergoing renovation - is unused, emphasizes Florian Krumböck. For the ÖVP club leader on the local council, however, one thing is clear: "We want a vibrant city center."

The closed Leiner flagship store on Rathausplatz is the most conspicuous vacancy in the heart of St. Pölten's city center(Bild: Molnar Attila)

Honest location analysis
He and his parliamentary group will therefore present a "strengthening package" for the city center on Monday in the town hall. The first step will be an "honest location analysis". First of all, the ÖVP is calling for meaningful frequency surveys using mobile phone data instead of counting: "So that a distinction can be made between visitors, residents and schoolchildren," explains Krumböck. In addition, the type of journey, length of stay and average turnover of city center customers should be surveyed, as well as the image of St. Pölten as a shopping city for the surrounding area.

We want a vibrant city center. The first step is a clear commitment by the municipal council to St. Pölten as a retail location. What counts above all is unsparing honesty.

Florian Krumböck, ÖVP-Klubsobmann im Germeinderat

Parking spaces and money
The package also includes the commitment that no parking spaces in the city center should be eliminated without replacement, as well as the demand for a "dynamic parking guidance system". And last but not least, Krumböck & Co. also want to divert 100,000 euros from the city businesses' advertising to a campaign for the city center.

Spats are inevitable
Krumböck wants to put all of these proposals up for discussion in the municipal council of the state capital next Monday by means of an urgent motion. Heated verbal battles with the ruling SPÖ parliamentary group seem to be guaranteed in the town hall.