The Mörlbach water tower has polarized people in the Berger district since it was repainted and the tower clock no longer rings.
The gray color will remain, the clock will be repaired by the owner of Gutshof Mörlbach.
Mörlbach - Evi Müller from Mörlbach has known the water tower all her life. “A landmark that you can see from afar,” she says. “The fact that it is now gray is a stark change in the appearance of the town.” The tower's immediate neighbors, Cecilia Lutz, who lives in the old manor, and Helena Oberrieder from across the street, rate it similarly. The three do not want to accept the innovation and collect signatures from the Mörlbachers - against the visual and also against the acoustic change. Because the bell that announced the time every quarter of an hour for decades has been silent since work on the tower from 1924 was started.
At least the acoustics should work again as soon as possible, assures the owner of Gutshof Mörlbach. "The work on the tower is also taking place in order to be able to repair the clock and the bell," says Jürgen Ludwig, who bought the property three years ago with his wife Evelin. “There is a lot of technology built in up there in the tower, but we first have to have access.” As soon as the outside staircase is ready, the clock and bell can be repaired. "Then everything will work again."
The neighbors also suspect that the installation of the windows is not approved. A construction supervisor from the district office visited the construction site, confirms district office spokesman Stefan Diebl. The inspector did not determine any other use than the previous one. “The district office has not stopped construction for us,” emphasizes Ludwig. However, according to Diebl, the client was asked to submit an application for a change of use. He's done that in the meantime, assures Ludwig. He wanted to house a caretaker's office with a toilet in the tower, as well as the archive of his property management.
A development plan from 2008 applies to the area of the Mörlbach manor. Accordingly, apartments and commercial units are permitted in the old manor. The water tower enjoys grandfathering. Changes to the facade do not require approval, says Berg's mayor Rupert Steigenberger after reviewing the requirements of the development plan. Changes in use would have to be indicated, he shares the opinion of the district office. There is no mention of the bell and clock in the development plan. “Whether the clock rings or not is up to the owner alone,” explains Steigenberger. There are regulations regarding the coloring of the facade: It should be painted in a light color.
“Is the gray a light color?” Asks neighbor Cecilia Lutz. “At first I thought it was the primer. When the scaffolding was dismantled, it was clear: That was the color. ”Evi Müller also thinks that the new design of the tower is too modern. And Lutz is surprised that none of the old manor is a listed building. “It goes back to the Riegerhof, which in turn was there when the town was founded at the end of the 6th century,” she quotes from the local chronicle of Mörlbach.
Jürgen Ludwig points out that he is not only having the tower renovated, but large parts of the property. “We want to renew the top floor and have already had the roof redone.” The old Eternit roof is now gone. "We are investing over a million euros to maintain the building." One of the ideas is to make the village pond accessible to the Mörlbach residents again, says Ludwig. “For example, for ice skating in winter.” The owner offers his critics an interview. "I am happy when people come up to me and tell me what is bothering them."
The Ludwig couple have experience with both old and listed buildings. In 2005 it received a prize from the state capital and the Lower Monument Protection Authority for the design of the facade of a listed building in Munich. “But not everyone liked the color back then,” admits Ludwig.