The Graz hotelier Florian Weitzer wants to wake up the UNESCO World Heritage region of Semmering (Lower Austria) with a grand hotel. But the project is currently on hold: conservationists demand a thorough investigation of the mega project.
With the purchase of the traditional Kurhaus am Semmering, Florian Weitzer made a real statement. As the Grand Semmering, the House of Honor is meant to awaken the entire region from its slumber. After a year and a half, after a thorough investigation, the positive commercial law and the building permit have now been delivered.
But now there is resistance from the ranks of the nature conservation organization “Alliance for Nature”, which wants to take legal action against the decision stating that no environmental impact assessment (EIA) is required for the renovation of the monumental building. A considerable damper on the plans of the Graz hotelier.
Styrian hotelier confident
Weitzer is still in good spirits: “We have really done enough to ensure that the project can be approved and we will see if the court sees it that way,” says the Styrian quite optimistically. He bought the Kurhaus in 2019. “With the hotel we want to continue the glorious times of yesteryear. I am sure that there will be an ideal connection between Graz and Vienna,” says Weitzer about his vision of the complex.
A project of the century
In addition to the renovation of the main building, an impressive extension with 55 rooms, a palm house, a staff wing and an underground car park with 187 parking spaces and 36 additional parking spaces on a total of 4.2 hectares are planned. “It’s a project of the century,” says Weitzer, who wants to continue the construction project as soon as possible.
Source: Krone
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