According to the Luxembourg City aldermen council, the renovation of the ‘Knuedler’ car park was complicated right from the beginning due to strict procedures and archaeological issues. The company initially put in charge of the project in 2016 was forced to install a protective screen and they eventually abandoned the undertaking in a matter of months.
Once the second developer was brought in, talks of increasing the budget were already being held.
According to alderwoman Simone Beissel from the Democratic Party (DP), additional stabilisation measures were also required due to a variety of factors, including the weight of the statue of William II, located at the centre of the above square. She also cited the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the energy crisis as causes of delays and cost increases.
Beissel has further underlined that construction companies need to justify every price increase and that Place Guillaume II generates revenue.
Opposition parties on the Luxembourg City municipal council were not amused when voting on the budget extension for the underground car park. Gabriel Boisante from the Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP) noted: “I would have preferred to approve €55 million in 2014 and now have €18 million left to put into housing and mobility.”
The Greens’ Nicolas Back also commented on the matter, criticising a “lack of transparency around projects in development”. The Left meanwhile disapproved the budget extension.
For now, the renovation project continues. Once completed, which is expected in 2024, the car park will be modernised, have bicycle spots, and an additional 250 car spots, including 18 for electric vehicles.
