The plan was designed: the former youth synagogue in Groningen had to be rebuilt into three houses and a guest house. After a failed sale, a squatting campaign and a rebellious neighborhood, the municipality is at a loss.
And as long as the municipality no longer knows, the squatters are in good hands there. They moved into the building in Folkingestraat in the autumn and sincerely hope that the city council will take the time to dub it.
“The book is open again,” municipal spokesperson Manon Hoiting answers a question about the future of the youth synagogue. “Housing construction is still possible, but it could also become a social or commercial function. We will first investigate the possibilities. Given all the commotion that has been going on, it is good to start with a blank sheet again.”
Sold under conditions
A social function is what Platform Gras director Peter Michiel Schaap advocated when he was disappointed to hear about the municipal plans for houses at that location (all power to the investors). The municipality’s plan was precisely in line with the conclusions of the manifestation Living in the City Heart in 2017.
Before the building went to the real estate agent, the city council gave the Groningen architect Gert-Jan Henckel a design assignment for this place. In recent years this had mainly served as a rehearsal space. He designed three houses and a guesthouse. In his plan the facade was retained. There would also be a memorial space, in view of Jewish history, especially that of the Second World War.
The municipality sold the youth synagogue in principle and under those strict planning conditions for €300,000 to Beauvast, Wijnand van Smeden’s company. This specializes in, among other things, the approach and revitalization of historic locations. In itself a bargain in such a city center location, but that also had to do with the requirements associated with it. However, Van Smeden came up with ideas that exceeded the municipality’s conditions and the provisional purchase contract ultimately ended up in the shredder.
Local residents on the same page as the squatters
Squatters had already squatted in the building before then. The judge allowed them to remain there after Van Smeden had demanded their departure in summary proceedings. The judge ruled that it was unclear where the youth synagogue would go. Only when everything was ready for a renovation would the squatters’ right to live have to make way for such a renewal project.
Now that the squatters were allowed to stay put and he and the municipality were far apart, tearing up the purchase contract must have cost Van Smeden less effort. He prefers to fight a battle he can win. The squatters said in and around the lawsuit that they wanted to preserve the public function and that of cultural-historical heritage.
They may soon be right on that point too. The idea is supported by neighboring residents, who also threatened legal action in October to retain this function. They want monumental status for the youth synagogue. When things subsequently came to a head, they were able to cancel their walk to Bernouilliplein.
There was more interest with different plans
Because apparently the municipality has decided not to put the youth synagogue up for sale again, and then, just like at the beginning of last year, hang it with Gert-Jan Henckel’s design. The architect himself refers to the town hall for comments.
More potential buyers reported to the NextFund real estate agency on Parklaan in the spring of 2023, but apparently they all had ideas that deviated from the municipal conditions and therefore also from Van Henckel’s drawings. There was little prospect of a buyer who did see value in it. Otherwise, the municipality would have put the building back in the real estate agent’s display case.
And so a (too) well-defined plan was shelved. In short, the squatters still have some time.