City buys house

The old district court makes way for culture

Djundja is delighted with the successful purchase of the building.(Bild: Felix Roittner)

Oberndorf secures the historic building in the town center. Mayor Georg Djundja already has ideas about what can be done with the building. Clubs could also benefit from the purchase.

The tug-of-war over the former district court building in Oberndorf near Salzburg has come to an end! After years of discussions, the town has secured the property in the town center. "The farewell party took place in the building exactly two years ago. Now we have been able to secure it," says a delighted Mayor Georg Djundja (SPÖ). It was already clear in 2014 that the district court was leaving the city. Initially, the purchase price was estimated at 550,000 euros. Over the years, this has climbed to 850,000 according to an expert opinion. Governor Wilfried Haslauer (ÖVP) then declared the issue a top priority and entered into negotiations with the federal government as the owner. The result: a final price of 750,000 euros. The state contributed 70 percent of the purchase price. The new district court is now located in Seekirchen.

Historic building built in 1858
Djundja already has concrete ideas in mind for its subsequent use. "I could well imagine a cultural center." It could house the Musikum, including rehearsal rooms, as well as clubs and the municipal library.

The historic building was built in 1858 and completely renovated in 1985. The barred windows of the former cells can still be seen on the ground floor. Now it is time to see how good the building's substance is and what measures are necessary for adaptation or renovation.