In my last post from 18 June, I had reported about the difficulties in finding an investor to take on the Officers’ Club. All that has changed within the last two weeks – after 17 years of lying idle.
The Taunuszeitung, dated 30 June 2010, had the following article Luxus hinterm Fachwerk (extravagance behind the half-timber). The Oberurseler Woche, date 01 July 2010, also carried an article titled Im Offizierskasino entstehen Wohnungen (The Officers’ Club will change into apartments).
Over the years, several investors had been interested in the Officers’ Club, but none of their plans of turning it into any kind of business got approved. The residents of this Villenviertel (exclusive residential area) had enough say-so to put any type of business plans to rest.
This has come to an end with the current investor’s proposal for turning the building into privately owned apartments. To do that, the investor set up his own corporation, Mountain Lodge Grundstücks-GmbH, and bought the areal of 1200 qm (close to three acres) from the city of Oberursel.
The Officers’ Club (also called Mountain Lodge around here) has found a new purpose, and the previous hope of getting the basement to house the Camp King archives is lost. Manfred Kopp, the Camp King archivist, is still without a permanent home for the Camp King archives, but we will continue looking for an appropriate location.
Applications are invited for the following position:
* Temporary primary school teacher assistant for parental leave replacement effective 01 August 2010 until the person being replaced will return, however, at the latest 31 July 2011
Applications should be in writing and directed to the appropriate principal with copy to Rita De La Cruz within seven working days of this notice.
For the past ten years, the Stadtentwicklungs- und Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft mbH Oberursel (SEWO) has been trying to sell the Officers’ Club (aka as Mountain Lodge) without success. The original asking price of € 1.5 million has come down to € 900.000, but petitions and restrictions from the surrounding neighbors make the sale difficult, if not downright impossible.
The building, erected in 1938, served as the Officers’ Club from 1945 until 1993.
The Officers' Club at Camp King Oberursel
The last potential buyer was going to run an office on the first floor, possible rent out two spacious apartment under the roof, as well letting our historian Manfred Kopp keep his Camp King archives in the basement.
Now it is official as yesterday’s e-mail from SEWO confirmed – the house is on the market once more and the search for another location to house the Camp King documents is on.
To read more about this project, read my previous Camp King posts.
When time stands still... Officers' Club Camp King
During the construction boom in the late 1990s, this important building was overlooked. Call it negligence or ignorance, but had a specific land-use type for this building been added BEFORE the sale of the surrounding houses, the Officers’ Club would have had a caretaker by now. Instead of being idle inventory, Oberursel could have added this as a historical monument to its portfolio.
I am afraid the tower clock will read 12:15 for many years to come.
Note: U.S. Americans refer to the building as the Officers’ Club, whereas most Germans call it the Mountain Lodge.
* Part time Elementary School teacher assistant (.5) effective 01 August 2010
* Part time Elementary Art assistant (.5) effective 01 August 2010
* Two part time Elementary School German teaching positions effective 01 August 2010 until 31 July 2011 to replace to teachers on parental leave (exact workload to be determined)
* Elementary art teacher effective 01 August 2010 until teacher will return from long term sick leave (approximately Nov 2010)
Applications should be in writing and directed to the appropriate principal with copy to Rita De La Cruz within seven working days of this notice.
FIS: The class of 2010 graduation ceremony Oberursel
I have been going there every year and would not miss it for the world. There is always an interesting guest speaker. This year we had Ruth E. Van Reken give a speech about Third Culture Kids. She had also been a guest lecturer at the school back in October 2009.
This two-hour program includes musical performances, scholarship awards, diplomas being handed out, speeches from students and faculty, and finalized with caps flying in the air. This adulthood rite is always the jubilant moment! School is out and over!
Living in this international bubble community, we have become very familiar with many parents and students over the years. Some students have attended FIS all their life, while others live here temporarily.
I have attended this ceremony for over 10 years now and consider them dry runs for the time when my own children will graduate (class of 2012 and 2016). Up until now I have watched my former private students graduate and venture off into the world. Through facebook we keep in touch. They have gone off to become doctors, lawyers, and heaven knows what else.
I’d like to think the reason for my staying here is to help them get there. Otherwise, I might be tempted into dreaming of packing up and marching down the aisle with them.
