Investor abandons Baden tiny-house project over delays

Investor Christoph Schoop has withdrawn plans to build eight modular wooden homes on an industrial building in Baden, saying the city took too long to assess the proposal, SRF reported.

The Wikkelhouses were planned for the flat roof of the former Demuth factory hall in Dättwil, near Baden. Schoop had planned to invest 1.7 million Swiss francs in the project, which aimed to create homes without using additional land. The building currently houses a shop, a bakery, a shoe store and a fast-food restaurant.

Schoop said a preliminary decision request had been pending with the city for eight months. In June, he was told that adding homes to the roof was possible, and the canton had no objections. But he said the project could no longer be completed within the time available alongside renovation work at the building.

The hall’s structure would have needed reinforcement, and its fire-safety measures would have required changes. Schoop wanted to carry out the structural work during the current renovation. Doing it later, he said, would mean further disruption for the businesses in the building. He said he was disappointed to abandon the project in his home city.

Baden city councillor Benjamin Steiner said the city had not simply waited for the request to be decided. Meetings were held to explore what could be done, but the two sides did not find a solution. He said the current building and zoning regulations apply, and require a special-use plan for substantial changes. Discussions between the city and the investor also covered planning rules and financial matters, including a value-added levy. The city said it regretted that the project had been dropped.