The city administration of Karlsruhe has responded to the inquiry of the city council group Freie Wähler and FÜR Karlsruhe concerning a support of Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof by the city administration. Various questions were asked, including the city’s ownership of the part of the building under Lammstrasse used by Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof and the company’s rent payment to the city of Karlsruhe. In its response to the question, the city administration provides information on the questions posed. However, there is one ambiguity, they say:
“Since Karstadt was the main user of the underbuilt area at the time, an easement was also recorded in the land register in favor of Karstadt.
Answer from the Karlsruhe City Administration
Nevertheless, the city is assumed to be the owner of the substructure. A legal review of this constellation is still underway.”
The city council group had asked the city administration whether the city owns the part of the building under the city hall and Lammstraße and whether Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof pays rent to the city and whether Karstadt had been accommodated in the rent. At that time, the city helped build the connection to the Karstadt building.
City officials stressed that there was no concession on rent and none is needed with the June 30, 2023 termination. Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof has not been a contractual partner of the city for years, as all contracts have been transferred to Aachener Grundvermögen Kapitalverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, which pays rent to Fächer GmbH. This company pays a market rent for the partial area under the town hall. The significance of the easement in the land register and its legal valuation would be exciting, according to the group.
