"Mousetrap" site

Backfilling ends nightmare surrounding mega construction pit

The huge billboard did not help, nobody wanted to appear here as a new developer or investor.(Bild: Andreas Moser)

The 70 million Aupark project on the site of the Mausefalle disco in Stans never came to fruition. Now the landowner has to restore the site to its original state. An end with horror . . .

"A nightmare - and sometimes tears even flowed," snorts Hans ("Giovanni") Riedmann, looking back on the past two years. During this time, he was looking for successor solutions for the major Aupark project.

Multifunctional building planned
As reported, the building was to combine business, health, retail, gastronomy and entertainment on eight floors. The plans fell through in the fall of 2022, but coronavirus plus the subsequent explosion in construction costs were one crisis too many.

Building materials still bear witness to the grand plans(Bild: Andreas Moser)

Succession solution failed to materialize
Since then, the owner family has sounded out many investors in order to obtain the right to build on the 8,000 m² site - ultimately in vain. "Unfortunately, these are uncertain times for such projects," says the well-known entrepreneur from Unterland.

Unfortunately, the times for such projects are uncertain.

Hans Riedmann, Grundbesitzer

Municipality will issue notice for backfilling
After a few "grace periods", the municipality of Stans now has no choice but to order the backfilling of the excavation pit (estimated cubic capacity around 25,000 m³). "The decision will be issued soon," confirms Mayor Michael Huber. The costs for backfilling are likely to run into six figures and will have to be borne by the landowner. Even companies that have already carried out extensive work around the huge excavation pit are probably looking through their fingers.

Credit check and bank guarantee failed to materialize
For Riedmann, this is an end in horror, but this flop will not "kill" him financially. Did they make mistakes themselves? "We commissioned a lawyer to check the creditworthiness of the original builder, but this was obviously not done." In addition, there was no bank guarantee and the disaster was complete after the construction company went bankrupt.

Each individual job would have brought the municipality around 1000 euros a year.

Michael Huber, Bürgermeister von Stans

Stans municipality mourns hoped-for income
The Aupark is also a difficult asset for the municipality of Stans to digest. "Around 300 jobs would have been created. Each one would have brought the municipality around 1000 euros a year," roughly calculates Mayor Huber. In any case, they waited generously for the decision. Like Riedmann, he is now aiming to fill in the pit during the winter low water period. A lake even formed here in the summer.

However, the head of the village does not want to bury all hopes for the future: "The dedication as an industrial estate remains, as does the preparatory work in the ground for a base plate."