Planned since 2014

Hotel in tourist stronghold still on hold

The office building has been empty for years. It is unclear whether it will ever be converted or become a ruin.(Bild: Marion Hörmandinger)

The conversion of the old salt works office building in Hallstatt is still on hold. The examination of whether an EIA procedure is necessary in connection with the World Heritage Site has recently dragged on for seven months. Now a negative expert opinion from the nature conservation authorities represents another major hurdle. 

We'll have to keep waiting," is Hallstatt's response to the conversion of the former office building. As reported, the municipality sold it to investor Siegmund Kahlbacher for 740,000 euros in 2014. However, he lost interest in converting it into a hotel after a few years. Grandhotel GIV Immobilienverwaltungs GmbH from Vienna secured the listed building.

No EIA procedure necessary
Despite positive building and commercial negotiations, construction is still not underway. Mayor Alexander Scheutz is not sparing in his criticism of the authorities: "Most recently, a review initiated last year by the environmental lawyer as to whether an environmental impact assessment procedure is necessary in terms of the World Heritage Site took seven months. It is not necessary. Actually, the state already determined in 2019 in the course of the dedication procedure that no EIA was necessary, but at that time the World Heritage Site was not yet a criterion."

Is there a public interest?
Another hurdle is a negative report from the nature conservation department. The project near the lakeshore is too massive and too large. Scheutz: "However, the building height, storey height and shape of the construction project correspond exactly to the specifications of the development plan and thus to the municipality's objectives for the development of the site."

Court action possible
Nevertheless, the head of the village has not given up hope of a green light. For this to happen, the district governor would have to recognize that the project is in the public interest. "If he doesn't, the project applicants will probably take it to the provincial administrative court."