Vacancies in the city center

St. Pölten city center dispute goes into extra time

The massive decline in store space in the city center is primarily attributed to the closure of the Leiner store on Rathausplatz.(Bild: Wikimedia/AleXXw)

The city center of St. Pölten is the number one bone of contention in the town hall. And the debates will continue in April, as can be heard from the opposing camps of the SPÖ and ÖVP.

As reported, the ÖVP presented a "strengthening package" for the city center to the municipal council of the provincial capital this week. However, the measures demanded were rejected out of hand by the ruling Social Democrats. "The SPÖ preferred to put up a detour sign pointing in the direction of the federal government instead of doing their own homework," criticized ÖVP club chairman Florian Krumböck.

We name the challenges facing the city and offer solutions. The city government prefers to turn a blind eye to the problems in the city center.

Florian Krumböck, Klubobmann der ÖVP im St. Pöltner Gemeinderat

He alludes to an SPÖ resolution calling for a profit tax on online retail. "However, this failed for formal reasons and the SPÖ wants to table it in the April session," says Krumböck. He announced that he also wanted to put the ÖVP's "strengthening package" up for discussion again in the municipal council at the next meeting.

So while the parties in the town hall continue to bicker about the future of the city, the experts from Standort+Markt, who carried out the current city center assessment, have their say. They point to a "consistently positive" development of St. Pölten's city center.

Hopes for the Rossmarkt courtyards
The only problem is the "massive decline in store space", which has resulted "primarily from the Leiner closure". In this respect, the experts expect the Rossmarkthöfe project, which is planned for the former Leiner building complex, to provide impetus for the entire city center.