30 Nov 2000
German_Scn_News <german_scn_news@hotmail.com>
Construction site full of surprises
Historically protected Villa on
Bremen, Germany
by Volker Junck
"I fulfilled my dream," replied doctor and businessman Dr. Jens
Koberstein to the question of why he applied first aid to the
run-down dump on Osterdeich. After years of neglect, the need
for renovation was enormous and topped the purchase price of
2.6 million marks. It has been calculated that almost four million
marks will be needed just to restore the historically protected
building. On top of that will come the same amount to equip it
medically. Koberstein, who had previously drawn up plans in
Achim for a private medical center according to an American
model, is on a course of expansion on Osterdeich. Seventy
percent of the spaces have already been leased to renowned
colleagues - from dentist to cosmetic surgeons - from all over
Germany. Besides that the management association intends to
transfer its office from Syke to Bremen. Before the "Pro Vita
Medio" opens for private customers in spring, the renovators
will have to take care of some plaster work in the building.
Incredible what can be found behind panels and boarded-up
walls. Behind one plaster wall, for instance was a painting of a
steamship of the north German Lloyd. Junior Heiko Koberstein
found encrypted letters, old newspapers, a dusty bottle of
shampoo and a clipboard of names from the war era, when the
villa had been appropriated by the defense forces as an officers
mess.
It was built in neo-Baroque style from 1882 to 1884 by the
famous Bremen builder Heinrich Poppe, who also did the
Cotton Stock Exchange and outfitted the Upper Assembly hall.
The one who commissioned him was a cotton dealer, Labuse,
who moved his company office at the time from the House of
Riches (today's Treasury Administration) to Osterdeich. In
1924 the real estate together with the neighboring building,
number 29, went to the "Klabenversandbecker" Carl Mueller
before it was occupied by the Defense Forces in 1939.
In the rapidly changing history of use after the war (under
ownership of the Freese family) it was the ship-building office
until 1960, until 1970 the Office of Family Welfare, until 1986 a
Post apprenticeship home, and until 1992 Caritas comments
that immigrants and then up to 90 asylum seekers were housed
there. Many Bremen natives still think of it as the "Schalm Villa"
of the renowned Bremen automobile importer, who sold it to a
Hamburg real estate dealer, thereby unknowingly providing
Scientology with a training center.
They moved out in March of this year. So now, after being
vacant for months, the renovators are there to remove the sins
of the past. Various angels' heads had been drilled through for
various lines and the deceptively genuine oak-trimmed ceiling
strip was also damaged. Torn-out walls have left behind ugly
scars and some rotten beams in the attic had to be replaced.
Specialists are trying to restore the original parquet on the
ground floor.
Koberstein is in good humor, everything is to be done by
spring. He also intends to make the festive Baroque hall with
fireplace and chandeliers available for public gatherings,
festivities, chamber concerts, open houses and related events.
---
Unofficial translations of German media, For non-commercial use only
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Osterdeich becomes a private
Medical Center
November 28, 2000
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