A room with a view - Ambitious project set to transform abandoned City building

A deserted building in the centre of Luxembourg city, which was once the tallest in the capital, is to get a new lease of life as luxury accommodation.

The “Fënsterschlass”, located on the corner of “rue des Bains” and “rue Aldringen” with its boarded up windows is often overlooked by passersby. But, with its neogothic, art-nouveau façade, it is an architectural gem in the heart of the city. Constructed in 1876 and designed by architect Charles Arendt, the building was renowned for its natural light thanks to the large windows which earned it the nickname “Fënsterschlass”, or window castle.

Few knew about the building's past until 2007 when company Drey Ruppert Real Estate bought it from the family bookbinder Glesener, whose name is still visible on the side of the building. The new owners could not destroy this historical building and so for seven years they worked on a design that would keep the period façade. Buildings at 23 and 25 “rue des Bains” were purchased in 2007 and the last building at number 1 rue Aldringen was acquired in 2011.

The project, which will see the façades preserved and the inside completely rebuilt, is expected to cost a total 27 million euros. Permission from the city authority has been obtained and work on the 26-month project is expected to begin in the coming weeks.

With property prices at 10,500 euros per square metre in this area, the new flats are expected to command a high price. The ground floor, meanwhile, is expected to accommodate shops and offices.

Translated from an article by Virginia Orlandi

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