A Danish municipality purchased a historic bank building for 27 million kroner. Their plan involves demolishing the structure entirely. The decision comes despite growing emphasis on recycling and reuse.
Kolding Municipality bought the building located in the city's pedestrian street. The property stands just 100 meters from Koldinghus Castle, a major tourist attraction. Officials say the building blocks visual connections between the city center and the historic castle.
Jakob Ville, chairman of Kolding's Planning and Technical Committee, explained the reasoning. "We have a royal castle right in the city center," he said in a statement. "By opening up the area, we can bring the castle closer to the city."
The purchase price represents only part of the total cost. The municipality will spend approximately 3 million kroner to buy out existing tenants. Demolition costs could reach 20 million kroner according to estimates.
Mayor Knud Erik Langhoff supported the purchase. "This is a good idea because we're changing our city from a market town to a meeting place," he stated. "We're opening the city toward the castle so Koldinghus can become a bigger part of the city."
The mayor noted that currently visitors can drive to Koldinghus without realizing they've been in Kolding's city center. The demolition aims to create better visual and physical connections.
Nearly all council members voted in favor of the acquisition. One opposition voice came from Gitte Grønbæk, lead candidate for Liberal Alliance in Kolding. "It's a wonderful dream, but politics is about priorities," she argued. "We have a huge responsibility to use tax money wisely."
Grønbæk suggested other investments should take precedence over the demolition project. The decision represents a substantial investment in urban redevelopment rather than building preservation.
The municipality appears determined to proceed despite the costs. The project reflects a trend where Danish cities prioritize public space creation over maintaining older structures. This approach sometimes conflicts with sustainability goals that emphasize adaptive reuse of existing buildings.