Alpenland purchase raises hopes for St. Pölten’s Leiner site

The purchase of the long-vacant Leiner complex in St. Pölten by nonprofit housing association Alpenland has raised hopes for the development of the 9,000-square-metre site, ORF reported.

After three company insolvencies, years of delays and numerous plans and promises, St. Pölten Mayor Matthias Stadler said the city now had a reliable partner. Alpenland had proven itself through construction projects across the state and was active nearby, he said.

Jeweller Daniela Kittel, who also chairs the Friends of Culture of St. Pölten, called the purchase a very positive development. Alpenland was an established company and the best outcome possible in the situation, she said.

Alpenland plans to combine the renovation of existing buildings with new construction. Initial ideas include green spaces, attractive passageways between Rathausplatz and Schießstattring, commercial premises, restaurants and housing.

Isabella Stickler, chairwoman of Alpenland, said the main goal was not simply to add to the surrounding area, but to improve it. All proposals would have to be coordinated with the city, she told ORF.

Stadler expects the project to create a suitable transition from the currently unattractive rear section of the complex to the planned ring greening project known as the green loop.

Affordable housing is a central priority for the mayor. Stadler said he wanted more people to live and shop in the old town, while an additional hotel would also benefit the city.

Stickler said affordable housing was possible because of the permitted building height and density in the area, as well as Alpenland’s status as a nonprofit housing association. The organisation did not have to pursue high profits, she said.

Urban planner Franz Denk of the Lower Austrian architecture network ORTE welcomed the shift away from an investor-focused approach. Earlier developers had prioritised short-term apartments and high-end hotels, he said, arguing that such plans would hinder the organic development of the old town.

Affordable housing in the city centre was essential, Denk said. Without residents, city centres declined, with many examples of this in Austria.

A study by the city of St. Pölten found that more than 600,000 people visit the state capital’s old town each year. The city centre gained 1,500 residents over the past decade. Kittel said the number of people moving in from surrounding communities was rising, purchasing power was growing and the mix of businesses was broadly satisfactory.