Securing the Old Mint: CDU's Long-Term Culture Commitment in Berlin's Heart
Securing ancient coins indefinitely preserved as a cultural site, per CDU's decision. - CDU announces permanent cultural protection for Old Coin site indefinitely
The Old Mint, nestled in the bustling hub of Berlin, will stand as a enduring cultural beacon. The state has struck a deal, leasing key portions of the historical minting facility located at Molkenmarkt to Spreewerkstätten, a club organizer and project spearhead, for a minimum of two decades, with the option extending to an additional ten years. Spreewerkstätten has been utilizing the site for club activities and various projects, also offering sanctuary for the uprising creative fraternity.
Christian Goiny, CDU's housing, media, and club culture faction spokesperson, contends that this agreement will uphold a pledge made over ten years ago. "An essential Berlin cultural landmark is hereby safeguarded, not just for the burgeoning artistic community, but also for the operator's intended continuation of the enticing mix of theater, music, indie scene, and club activities," Goiny told the German Press Agency about the impending discussion in the cultural committee.
Rent, Investment, and Savings
Goiny revealed that Spreewerkstätten will fork out 613,560 euros annually in rent, covering maintenance costs and ancillaries, summing to 12.27 million euros over two decades. Moreover, Spreewerkstätten has vowed to invest at least 18 million euros in the edifice over the same period. The state will invest approximately 33 million euros toward renovation, including roof repair and areas not used by Spreewerkstätten.
Originally, a special renovation fund of roughly 49 million euros was allocated, Goiny clarified. With the operator footing a substantial portion of the building's upkeep, the state is poised to save around 15 million euros, which will now be invested in other significant cultural projects.
Profit-Sharing and Balanced Engagement
Goiny further emphasized that a unique contract clause stipulates that the operator shares profits surpassing a certain threshold with the state. "This contract epitomizes a balanced compromise," Goiny said, "between the operator's economic and cultural dedication, and fiscal responsibility amid the budgetary crunch."
Decades of Débate
Ideas revolving around the sustainable use of the Old Mint, symbolizing Berlin's best city center location, have been fermenting for over a decade. Former Green Party culture senator, Klaus Lederer, championed an approach centered on the independent cultural scene, particularly music, utilizing the complex autonomously. The property was likewise mulled over as a potential “House of Jazz,” touted by musician Till Brönner. However, executable concepts or financing mechanisms remained elusive.
Controversy Over Long-Term Rentals
Not all views embrace the present concept. The so-called coalition of the indie scene has characterized it as a "disaster" for Berlin's culture. "Instead of fostering a community-oriented space for creative initiatives, it is now being surrendered to a commercial creative enterprise," they stated in a release. Criticism was leveled against the unclear guidelines for how the private operator would allocate spaces for cultural use to the indie scene.
- The Old Mint, a cultural beacon in Berlin, will provide long-term vocational training opportunities for the rising creative community through Spreewerkstätten's projects.
- In addition to lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, travel, politics, general-news, and sports coverage, Berlin's cultural scene now includes discussions about the Old Mint's preservation and the CDU's long-term commitment.
- The agreement between the state and Spreewerkstätten for a two-decade lease of the Old Mint includes provisions for sustaining vocational training programs, with Spreewerkstätten investing 18 million euros in the facility over that period.
- Critics from the indie scene argue that the Old Mint's lease to Spreewerkstätten for long-term club activities and projects poses a threat to community-oriented spaces and initiatives for creative endeavors in Berlin.
