Kloten scraps plans to expand the Spitz care centre

Kloten is pulling the emergency brake on a major project that had already been approved. The expansion of the Spitz Care Centre, funded by a loan of 24.9 million Swiss francs, is being halted because new structural findings suggest that more extensive work will be required, leading to higher costs and an unreasonable burden on day-to-day operations.

Construction was due to start in January 2027. Now the City Council wishes to terminate the project, even though the Municipal Council and the electorate had already approved the funding. The decisive factors are new findings from the project planning regarding the load-bearing structure, earthquake protection and the extent of work required on the existing building.

The main plans involved adding an extra storey to the Spitz care centre, as well as upgrading its fire safety and earthquake resistance. According to the city, the structural reinforcement would affect significantly more storeys than previously assumed. This would make it impossible to carry out the building works whilst the centre remains open to residents and would also make the project considerably more expensive.

Approved funding no longer sufficient politically
The proposal had broad political support. The referendum on the funding approval for the extension and refurbishment of the Spitz care centre was scheduled for 30 November 2025. In the 2026 budget documents, the project is listed with approved total costs of 24.9 million Swiss francs. Nevertheless, parliament must now approve the proposed cancellation of the project before the city can formally bring the matter to a close.

Dorfstrasse emerges as an alternative site
Meanwhile, another site is gaining traction. The city points to a farm with building land at Dorfstrasse 43, acquired in spring 2026. The executive sees scope there for a new project comprising sheltered housing and a care home. For property development in Kloten, the focus is thus shifting away from the complicated refurbishment of existing buildings towards a potential new solution on the city’s own land.

Another warning sign for major municipal projects
This is not an isolated case. In the case of the Schluefweg Centre, too, it had already become apparent during earlier planning stages that the technical assumptions regarding the existing building had been overly optimistic. The cost estimate for the refurbishment and extension of the indoor swimming pool in 2024 stood at 81.5 million Swiss francs. If the work required at the Spitz care centre also turns out to be less extensive than calculated, the pressure on Kloten to assess refurbishments of existing buildings even earlier and more thoroughly will increase.