Overview
- The Hamburg Higher Administrative Court, which ruled Thursday, rejected the owner’s complaint and made the city’s repair order final.
- In 2024 the city ordered immediate fixes for unsafe foundations, weak stability in strong winds, bent and damaged members, and poor corrosion protection.
- Judges said the work is economically reasonable and noted the company knew about the structure’s condition before buying the site in 2014.
- A city expert found enough original material would remain after the securing work to keep monument status, and the owner’s counter-report did not show flaws in that analysis.
- Officials plan to instruct the company to start the work, and the city is preparing to carry it out at the owner’s expense if needed, after years of disputes over demolition bids and plans for new housing and shops.