Schlehdorf Monastery is gradually becoming the co-house of Wogeno Munich: there are still free co-working spaces

Created: 04/26/2022, 09:00

By: Christiane Mühlbauer

Wogeno Munich bought the old Schlehdor monastery.

The Dominican Missionaries have moved into a new building.

© Krinner

In the Cohaus Kloster Schlehdorf, the refurbishment work in the west section is progressing well.

Many living areas in the east wing are already occupied.

However, there are still a few vacancies.

Schlehdorf –

The housing cooperative (Wogeno) Munich is currently renovating its properties in Schlehdorf, the old monastery, floor by floor.

It now bears the name "Cohaus Kloster Schlehdorf", and living and common rooms ("cluster living") as well as commercial rooms for co-working areas are being created.

Section one in the east is finished.

It is currently the turn of construction phase two in the west.

Here is, among other things, the former infirmary of the Dominican Missionaries.

"It was last renovated in the 1970s," says Wogeno Managing Director Johannes Hochholzer during a tour of the construction site.

A thorough renovation is now taking place.

During the uncovering, an old quarry stone wall appeared on one of the door frames, which probably dates from around 1780.

"We want to try to make them visible now," says Hochholzer.

A look into the former infirmary of the Dominican Missionaries.

The area is being completely renovated.

This is where living and common areas are created.

© Krinner

Local companies and the self-employed are welcome

In the former infirmary, seven rooms and common areas will be created, so-called "cluster living".

It will be months before they are finished.

"The second construction phase should be completed in spring 2023," says Hochholzer.

The bidding for the living quarters starts in May.

If you want to move in, you have to be a member of the cooperative.

There is information about this on the website.

This old quarry stone wall was found in one of the door frames.

It probably dates from around 1780 and should now remain visible.

© Krinner

However, the commercial premises, mostly co-working areas, in the east wing have been completed.

According to Hochholzer, there are nine free rooms ranging in size from 30 to 80 square meters.

Applicants from the region, such as the self-employed, are expressly welcome, says Hochholzer.

Depending on the size of the room, the rental price is between 500 and 1200 euros.

Demand is still rather low, says Hochholzer.

But that is probably also due to the corona pandemic.

Living areas in the Cohaus already occupied

A milestone, although not visible from the outside, was set last December: Wogeno was finally able to sign the contract for the use of the staircase with the Free State of Bavaria - after 2.5 years of negotiations.

This makes it clear how tough the process with the authorities was to convert the historic monastery building, for example in terms of fire protection requirements.

Until the very end, Wogeno kept the option open of not completing the project in the monastery.

But now everything is done and the Wogeno will take root in Schlehdorf.

It is the first Wogeno project in such a building and the first that consists only of cluster apartments.

The purchase price was 4.2 million euros, and more than three million euros were invested.

It is financed by memberships (including the necessary loans from members), other private lenders and banks.

Events such as seminars and courses, which are slowly starting, are also intended to generate income.

There are also guest rooms.

Refugees from Ukraine admitted

The parish church of St. Tertulin is still open to all believers and will not be affected by the developments in the Wogeno.

The renovation of the church was only completed last year.

During this time, the Catholics were able to use the Sisters' Chapel, which the Wogeno made available.

In December there was a thank you celebration with the parish and the Dominican Missionaries, also for the good cooperation, and a "handover of the baton", as Sister Josefa Thusbaß says.

The sisters' chapel is a listed building, but is being profaned, i.e. deconsecrated.

The Dominican Missionaries have no problem with that, they have their own chapel in their new convent.

Nothing will change for St. Tertulin.

It remains a parish church.

© Krinner

Wogeno is now responsible for the chapel.

It is profaned - this is a formal act of the archdiocese - and transformed like so much else in the monastery.

The chapel, consecrated in 1927, is a listed building.

"We're taking our time and feeling our way forward to see what's developing here," says Hochholzer.

For example, a meditation group is already meeting in the gallery.

For the nuns who have built a new chapel in the new monastery, the profanation is "the logical next step in the transformation of the monastery," says Sister Josefa Thusbaß.

Incidentally, the “Cohaus Kloster Schlehdorf” has also become a new home for a family of five from the Ukraine a few days ago.

And at the end of July there will be another exhibition on how artists experience the transformation of the monastery.

Some of them live there.

The exhibition bears the title “Who cares” – alluding to the redesign of the infirmary.

"We want to give visitors the opportunity to see the old infirmary in its raw state," says Hochholzer.

Further information for interested tenants of private and commercial premises on the Internet at www.cohaus-schlehdorf.de

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