Extension building of Kunstmuseum Basel more expensive than expected
Government departments are calling for an investigation after the extension building of the Kunstmuseum Basel reportedly exceeded its budget by millions of francs.
A preliminary building accounting report, published by project organisers, put the overspend at between three and five per cent (between three and five million Swiss francs).
The figure was based on current reports of the general planner which were published on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Construction and Traffic Department said on Wednesday. The directors of the three concerned departments have asked the project organisers to investigate the matter in detail.
Up until now it was expected that the cost of the extension would be 100 million francs, split between patron Maja Oeri, a descendent of the Roche family, and the canton of Basel-Stadt. Ms Oeri has also paid an additional 20 million francs for buying the land.
Seven months on from the re-opening of the Kunstmuseum, the final adjustment works to the new extension have been completed and first warranty works carried out. The building accounting will be closed in the course of the coming year.
The extension building of the Kunstmuseum for special exhibitions was designed by the architects Christ & Gantenbein. It contains 19 exhibition rooms in an area of 8000 square metres and is connected underground to the main building through a tunnel under the street.
Two alleged burglars ‘caught in the act’
The Baselland police control room on Wednesday night received a call from a resident in Falkenstrasse in Muttenz that two people had broken into a nearby drinks firm.
The call, which was made shortly after midnight, received an immediate response and the police arrested two men shortly after the robbery had taken place.
According to early investigations of Baselland police, the alleged burglars are a 47-year-old Bulgarian and a 20-year-old Algerian citizen. One of the burglars was found lying under a car by police dog Vero de la Videmanette while the second man was arrested after being chased by the police. Both are suspected to have broken into the premises of the drinks trading firm.
It was the second success within 14 hours for police dog Vero de la Videmanette.
The prosecution of Baselland has opened a criminal case and will make a request to the compulsory measures court that the men are remanded in custody.
200 new bicycle spaces at Basel SBB station
From this week, cyclists can use new bike parking spaces at the eastern side of Bahnhof Basel SBB which has direct access to the platforms.
The mostly sheltered bike storage facility offers 200 bicycle parking spaces and the possibility to lock bicycles manually to the stand. The SBB invested 600'000 francs into the new facility, which had been planned and built last year.