The case in summary The anniversary sauna in Moss, which was ready for use in 2021, has never been put into use due to a long list of serious deficiencies. The director of the municipality has decided that the building will be demolished, as it will be too expensive to correct the errors. Together with a diving tower, the sauna was an anniversary gift to Moss from Sparebankstiftelsen DNB, worth NOK 5 million, in connection with the city’s 300th anniversary in 2020. Moss Kurbadstue AS, which was to operate the facility, has sent Moss municipality a claim for compensation since the facility they were to operate becomes demolished, but the municipality rejects the claim. Rintala Eggertsson architects, who won the tender and are behind the installations, do not want to comment on the matter. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – It’s just to be sorry. Most things that could go wrong, have gone wrong, says Therese Evensen, communications advisor in Moss municipality. It has been more than two years since the sauna at Fleischer Brygge was completed. But a long list of serious shortcomings has ensured that it has still not been adopted. Therese Evensen is communications manager in Moss municipality. Photo: Even Bjøringsøy Johnsen / news Now the municipal director has decided that it must be demolished. Fixing the mistakes will be too expensive. – It is a very boring matter for the municipality. We are sorry, because this was supposed to be a happy project. Moss Avis has followed the case closely in recent years and written a number of articles. Anniversary gift to several millions The history of the diving tower and sauna at Fleischer Brygge has become a long one. In 2020, Moss celebrated its 300th anniversary. In this connection, Sparebankstiftelsen DNB would give the city an anniversary gift worth NOK 5 million. The money was to be used for an art installation in the form of a diving tower and a sauna. Moss municipality announced a competition, and the task went to Rantala Eggertsson architects. They have also been responsible for searching and carrying out the project. The diving tower in the foreground remains standing. The sauna in the background is going to be demolished. Photo: Even Bjøringsøy Johnsen / news The diving tower, which stands a few meters away from the sauna, has also brought with it challenges and delays. It was supposed to be completed by Christmas 2020, but was not ready for use until June 2021. Shortly after that, the tower had to be closed for seven new months to better secure it. The sauna directly beyond was completed in 2021. The pandemic and the construction of a service building meant that it remained unused until a disappointing condition assessment came on the table after an inspection in February 2023. Material on the inside can emit toxic gases when heated, there is access to the changing room and the rest bench outside is referred to as life-threatening. See the full list in the fact box below. In addition, the building had fallen into disrepair during the waiting period. List of the sauna’s shortcomings The sauna has pressure-impregnated pine material on the inside, which can emit toxic gases when the room is warm. The doors to the changing room are built in such a way that the top and bottom can be seen. The changing room also has slatted walls with larger slatted openings than the maximum measurement of 10 centimetres. Damp and fungus have been found on the underside of the roof and walls. The roof has leaks and there is water intrusion in connections between building parts. Entrance doors have visible damage and weak hinges. The sauna door also swings inwards, not outwards. The sauna should be insulated. There should be a valve down by the stove and there should be running water in the building. The rest bench outside the sauna has a low back and the plastic sheet behind is split in the middle behind the bench. There is no protection against falling and according to the condition report it is dangerous to life. The building lacks some universal design, in that there are no visual or tactile markings for people with visual impairments. Nor is there sufficient width for people in wheelchairs. The building has a visible skew in the horizontal plane. There is a lack of railings or other protection at the entrance, so you can fall from the quay into the sea. There is also no bathing ladder at the bathing platform. There is generally very poor craftsmanship in all carpentry work. Source: Condition report from valuation engineer and Moss Avis After this, the certificate of completion for the sauna from 2020 was withdrawn. Meeting with the Sparebankstiftelsen – There is quite a lot that has not gone quite according to plan, says Therese Evensen. – In retrospect, we see that we should have organized the work in a different way. We must learn from the mistakes we have made. The spare bank foundation DNB asked the municipality for a review of the case after it became clear that parts of their gift are being demolished. The facility was a gift from Sparebankstiftelsen DNB, which has expressed a wish for an orientation. Photo: Even Bjøringsøy Johnsen / news According to Evensen, the parties spoke on Thursday 19 December. – We have also had dialogue along the way, but now they have been given the status of a final conclusion. The service building with toilets, which the municipality has set up in connection with the project, was at least not set up in vain. The diving tower will remain standing, even if the sister building is demolished. – We believe and hope that the mosses get great pleasure from this, concludes Evensen. – It’s a shame People news meets down at the facility think the case is sad. – It has taken an awfully long time. It is hardly possible to say anything sensible about this here, says Anders Knutzen. Anders Knutzen is not particularly impressed by any of the parties in connection with the construction of the sauna. Photo: Even Bjøringsøy Johnsen / news He thinks it is fine that it is demolished when the situation has become what it has become. – Once things have gone wrong, then they have gone wrong. Then it’s just as well to get it away, he believes. Daniel Fishbain likes the diving tower and uses it in the summer. He is not as impressed with the sauna. – It is a shame. I think it is a shame that it will be demolished. Compensation claim Moss Kurbadstue AS, which was supposed to operate the facility, has sent Moss municipality a compensation claim since the facility they were supposed to operate is being demolished. Moss municipality rejects the compensation claim. They believe the contract with Moss Kurbadstue AS expires when the building is demolished. Rintala Eggertsson architects, who won the tender and are behind the installations, do not want to comment on the matter to news.
ttn-69
Sauna given as an anniversary gift to Moss is demolished before use – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
