Domanialverwaltung in Bad Arolsen is being rebuilt
The striking Domanialverwaltung building at Schlossstraße 28, directly opposite the Arolsen Residence Palace, has been used for a wide variety of purposes since its construction in the early 18th century. Since 1929, it has served exclusively as an office location and houses the Waldeckische Domanialverwaltung (WDV), which since the end of the Free State of Waldeck has administered the former state assets, mainly forests, castles, forester's lodges and other real estate and property, for the benefit of the Waldeck communities.
The historic building is currently being renovated and upgraded on a grand scale. First District Councillor Karl-Friedrich Frese, who is also Chairman of the Domanial Commission, was informed about the current status of the project by Domanial Director Dr Günter Steiner, his deputy Hendrik Block and the head of the building administration Friedhelm Schnare.
On the top floor of the Domanial administration, the so-called "mansard floor", new office space with a usable area of a good 200 square metres is being created. Up to now, it has mainly housed archive rooms. The conversion was made possible by the removal and digitisation of the inventory. After completion, Kommunalwald Waldeck-Frankenberg GmbH will move in as a tenant. This will allow services to be bundled and synergies to be created, because with around 19,000 hectares, the Waldeckische Domanialverwaltung is one of the largest municipal forest owners in Germany.
Parallel to this measure, barrier-free access to all floors of the office building is being provided. The centrepiece is a free-standing steel and glass exterior lift in the inner courtyard. In this context, widened corridor zones will be created in the access area of the lift, a barrier-free toilet will be built in the basement, and further sanitary rooms will be installed on the upper floor. The measure is estimated to have a financial volume of a good one million euros. It should be completed by the beginning of 2022.
The First District Councillor thanked the management duo of the Domanial administration on behalf of all employees for the fact that the construction measures can be carried out parallel to daily business. "I have great respect for all employees who currently have to put up with daily disruptions and accept this without complaining," said Frese. This saves the time-consuming and cost-intensive outsourcing of administrative operations during the construction phase.
The former restaurant "Schlossgarten" opposite the office building, which is also owned by the Domanial administration, is also being generously renovated. According to current plans, it will be reopened in the summer under a new name and new management. In the course of the modernisation, the old kitchen technology will be replaced and adapted to the new kitchen concept.
The outdoor area will also be generously enhanced, with new cabling being laid underground to create supply lines for sunshades with radiant heaters and lighting. "Once apart from the magnificent surroundings of the outdoor area with a view of the castle and the baroque core city, we expect that outdoor gastronomy will be particularly important this summer in view of the pandemic," explained the First District Commissioner. All in all, he was convinced that with the two major construction measures, the Waldeck district administration would make a sustainable contribution to strengthening Bad Arolsen as a business and tourism location.