Facts
Cooperative A. is the owner or building rights holder of large plots of land in the Friesenberg district in Zurich, on which it has built a residential settlement with a total of 2,274 residential units between 1925 and 2014. The first two construction phases of this settlement, the so-called "Founders' Settlement", are under monument protection and are inventoried. Cooperative A. intends to demolish these two settlements and replace them with a new, more densely built development with approximately 90 additional residential units. The City of Zurich decided not to place the first two construction phases of the Friesenberg settlement and the former cooperative building under monument protection and to remove them from the inventory of protected objects. The Zurich Heimatschutz (ZVH) appealed against this to the Building Appeal Court of the Canton of Zurich, which was, however, dismissed. A complaint by the ZVH was upheld by the Administrative Court of the Canton of Zurich, the previous instances' decisions were overturned and the matter was referred back to the City of Zurich. Both the City of Zurich and Cooperative A. have filed an appeal against this judgment with the Federal Supreme Court.Considerations
In its decision, the Federal Supreme Court has stated the following: - The concern for internal densification and the creation of affordable housing is generally a significant public interest that must be taken into account in the balancing of interests. However, the weight of this interest depends heavily on the significance of the protected object concerned. - The renovation costs for the Founders' Settlement are considerable, but they mainly concern accumulated renovation…