Surprise in Wessobrunn: “Maro” cooperative takes over the monastery estate 

Created: 08/05/2022, 02:00 p.m

By: Roland Halmel

The "Maro" cooperative is to take over the former monastery estate of Wessobrunn and, after renovation, put it to a new use.

© halmel

The decision has been made and it was very clear.

The municipality of Wessobrunn will hand over the former monastery property, which was leased four years ago, to the "Maro" cooperative.

The second candidate who was shortlisted, the "Verein Klostergut", only got two votes in the vote in the last municipal council meeting before the summer break.

Wessobrunn

- "We don't want to procrastinate on the decision," explained Mayor Georg Guggemos at the presentation of the two interested parties for the monastery property in mid-July in the multi-purpose hall.

A week later, the Wessobrunn municipal council also got down to business.

Before the vote was taken, the council members, but also the citizens, had the opportunity to express their opinion on the subject in the quarter hour.

For some, there was a certain disappointment that the community itself was not able to handle the “Klostergut” project.

"Unfortunately, the current municipal council is not as behind the issue as the old one was," said municipal councilor Gerlinde Sterr.

"At the time of the takeover, we had no concept for the monastery estate ourselves," admitted council colleague Andreas Reßler.

Richilde Kölbl regretted the lack of interest on the part of Wessobrunn, which was reflected in the poor attendance at the presentation meeting.

"I would have liked more public participation, so I'm a bit disappointed," Kölbl admitted.

"It's not a small project, the community can't handle it," said Max Obholzer, showing his understanding of the need to hand over the monastery property.

"The decision was not easy for me, but I will vote for 'Maro'," explained Mirjam Kopp afterwards, which was similar for many from the council.

"For me, 'Maro' is the safe partner," judged Andreas Reßler.

"For the future, the club would be the better solution," said Franz Erhard, alongside Leonhard Reßler, who emphasized the sustainability of the club concept, against the cooperative.

In his closing remarks before the vote, the mayor explained his decision to vote for the "Maro".

"I liked their financing concept because as a community we can't take any risks," Guggemos said.

"The 'Maro' has many references, the club certainly has experience, but not as a team and with such large projects," added the mayor, with a view to the previously outlined required financial resources of at least 18 million euros.

"And then the organizational structure in the club is not quite as clear as in the 'Maro'," Guggemos finished his classification.

In the voting, the "Maro" was also awarded the contract by the municipality with dissenting votes from Franz Erhard and Leonhard Reßler.

The cooperative will thus take over the monastery property for an annual leasehold of 60,000 euros.

Maybe then there will also be ideas about the “energy concept” and “use of the grassland” that the Klostergut-Verein would have liked to have implemented with the historical ensemble.

The Council Committee took good note of a suggestion in this regard from the citizenry.

As previously reported, the "Maro Genossenschaft" focuses its concept on residential use, as CEO Martin Okrslar explained at the presentation in July.

It is based on lively communities that support each other, Okrslar described the idea of ​​​​the cooperative.

With this in mind, around 44 apartments are to be built in two construction phases.

Art and culture should continue to have their place in the monastery property and the offer should even be expanded.