Nostalgic journey – Manner villa becomes luxury construction: One last tour

The start is to take place at the beginning of the year: the Manner villa in Vienna will become a luxury residential building. A rare tour of the historic building still reveals the spirit of the industrial dynasty.

Towards the end, only the light was on in one of the rooms on the upper floor. This is where Carl Manner, grandson of company founder Josef Manner, accompanied by his housekeeper, had withdrawn before the lights were finally switched off in 2017.

Carl Manner – a Viennese institution
This story is still happily told by knowledgeable people as they walk past the imposing villa on Klampfelbergstrasse – the then 87-year-old was after all a Viennese institution who lived for his company, although he didn’t really like the iconic cuts in the pink packaging himself would like to.

Admittedly, entering the old, desolate villa alone at night could scare off one or the other. Some even say that the inner workings have something of the Overlook Hotel from Stephen King’s book “Shining”. All the more, a tour of the building that is seldom offered to the public is a small highlight – even if the ubiquitous dust moves up the nasal walls a little more with every step.

Magnificent relics are a reminder of the good old days
Rooms up to 4.25 meters high, magnificent relics from earlier times such as stucco and ceiling paintings as well as stained glass from the construction period and a ballroom that is reminiscent of the glorious Twenties, let your own imagination and nostalgia blossom quickly. But something of the spirit of the industrial dynasty, which shaped Austria for well over 100 years, still resonates in the air: Even if nobody has lived here for years.

Inside, the remnants of the furniture are being sold at a flea market, some residents who still knew Carl Manner personally or thought they knew are wandering through the staff wing, the bathrooms and the oversized rooms. The swimming pool in the basement is still ankle-deep, and Carl Manner is said to have kept fit there every day until his death. Nobody would jump in here now, the pool inevitably has the charm of an abandoned sanatorium.

Location for photo shoots and scary events
The large villa, built by architect Peter Paul Brang between 1910 and 1914, is currently still being used for photo shoots and sometimes spooky events. On November 19th, the Taubenkobel gourmet restaurant will move in again with the “Dove Salon in the Manner Villa”. Friends of high culinary art can then indulge in culinary delights in the historical ambience for a month before it is probably over at the beginning of the year.

New life should now be in the old cuts
The building, a hybrid of Heimatstil and secessionism, was taken over by the M17 project group and is also being promoted to investors: the old style should finally be breathed new life into. Luxury apartments with underground parking, garden and park are planned. The house in Neuwaldegg is fundamentally in need of renovation, but there is still the expressed wish of all those involved to preserve the spirit of Carl and the Manner family. Whether this will succeed is another question.

You just don’t like tree murders in the villa park
There are around 70 trees in the spacious park around the Manner Villa, 17 of which were felled only recently, but only 13 have been approved according to the city gardens. The reason given: probably very hungry bark beetles. The MA 42 nevertheless brought a complaint, as did the Greens in Hernals, angry neighbors and a citizens’ initiative: “That was a mistake for which we are responsible,” said Michael Kuenburg, head of K&K Immobilien to ORF: “We will carry out replacement plantings.”

  • Behind the sensational project is M17 GmbH & Co., which in turn is backed by the companies K&K Immobilien, Michael Kuenburg Immobilien and PR Immobilien. The investment volume for the renovation and expansion of the villa is estimated by insiders at around 19 million euros. In any case, the submission plans by M17 and architect Christoph Huber promise luxurious domiciles on Klampfelbergstrasse in the heart of Neuwaldegg.
  • There are ten apartments in total, with four units on the mezzanine floors with terraces and balconies with living space between 128 and 214 square meters and two garden apartments on the ground floor with a living space of 231 and 122 square meters.
  • The roof that is currently being attached is being expanded; four maisonette apartments with living space between 170 and 190 square meters are to be built here. The aging pool in the basement is being sanded and has to give way to an underground car park.
  • In addition to the villa, a park residence with a total living area of ​​774 square meters is to be built on four levels with nine units.

The architect emphasizes that he wants to preserve the spirit of the villa. Landaa Immobilien will sell the apartments, prices are not yet known. But it will be a few cuts …

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