Honsellstrasse
Land-use planning proceedings no. 799Ä - Honsellstrasse - 1st amendment
Project description
Reason for planning
With the relocation of the European Central Bank to the former site of the wholesale fruit and vegetable market, the Grossmarkthalle, development of the south of the Ostend district has gained in momentum.
The new urban development concept envisages a combination of office and residential buildings for the zone. The concept is convincing because it vitally stimulates the development of a residential quarter in Frankfurt’s Ostend district, east of the railroad track. At the same time, it makes available sites for other European institutions and/or related office facilities in the vicinity of the European Central Bank, albeit without using too much space otherwise suitable for residential purposes. Plans for a high-rise on Hanauer Landstrasse, which is not allowed to exceed a maximum height of 60 meters, have that same tenor. Extensive retail outlets serving the district are still not envisaged, because the infrastructure requirement resulting from the residential development will be covered in the planning process going forward.
Proximity to the green embankment of the River Main, superb public transport links and the fact that workplaces, educational institutions and commercial supply services are all within easy reach makes the location nigh ideal for the planned mix of residential and office use.
The downside: The new residential location will be situated not far from the rail traffic passing over the bridge on the Main and the sports fields in Hafenpark. Plus, it will be in the neighborhood of businesses located in Unterhafen port and therefore be exposed to considerable potential noise. These factors will be taken into account and remedied by the positioning of buildings, alignment of their footprints, and structural solutions in the planning going forward.
The usage restrictions specified for the area of the Hafenpark and the tip of the harbor mole have been dropped. The reason: Changes have been made to a plant subject to hazardous incident regulations and this means that the requisite safety cordon distance has been reduced. Consequently, the relevant areas of the park and the property situated on the central harbor mole will now be integrated into planning procedures in a move to rectify restrictive regulations.
Legally binding development plan no. 799 – Honsellstrasse has to be changed for the above-illustrated urban planning project and the legal amendments to be realized. This will be achieved by the land-use planning proceedings B 799Ä – Honsellstrasse – 1st amendment.
Development district
The zone in question spans the building complex bounded by Hanauer Landstrasse, Honsellstrasse, Mayfarthstrasse and Eytelweinstrasse. In addition, the ambit also includes the entire Hafenpark grounds and the plot on the tip of the harbor mole. The planning zone thus amounts to approx. 11 hectares in total.
Planning objectives
Amendments have been made to the existing planning laws to ensure that significant portions of the zone between Hanauer Landstrasse, Honsellstrasse, Mayfarthstrasse and Eytelweinstrasse will be dedicated to residential purposes and related services and amenities (e.g., a child daycare facility). Moreover, a high-rise on Hanauer Landstrasse will provide extensive office space on a relatively small footprint. The plot on the tip of the harbor mole is being prepared for unlimited use as a hotel / temporary accommodation. Hafenpark in its entirety will be designated as a public green with the existing function as Hafenpark complete with its sports fields.
Project progress
The urban planning design by AS&P; Albert Speer und Partner provides the basis for establishing the development plan and the amendments made to existing planning law. It also provided the concept for detailing the resolution to establish planning of September 25, 2014. In line with section 3 (1) of the German Building Code (BauGB), citizens had the opportunity to voice their opinions at the meeting of Local Consultative Council 4 on November 4, 2014. Authorities were able to become involved in the planning between February 23 and March 23, 2015, as per the stipulations of section 4 (1) of the German Building Code. At present the wording of the legal amendments is being prepared for public disclosure and involvement of the authorities. These steps in the procedure are envisaged for mid 2017.
On February 28, 2019 The City Council adopted the design presented as well as all the attendant annexes was adopted as a by-law. In accordance with section 10 of the German Building Code (BauGB), legal zoning plan no. B 799 Ä – Honsellstrasse – 1st amendment comes into force with the official announcement in the official gazette of the City of Frankfurt.
PDF files relating to the project
More information
Project realization
The legal effect of the legal zoning plan provides the legal basis for the realization of the project and the construction of the Hafenpark Quarter. The site is located directly on the banks of the River Main in the vicinity of the headquarters of the European Central Bank, in what is known as the Honsell triangle. The development will see the creation of a mixed-usage quarter featuring open spaces, apartments, a child daycare center, offices, and hotels. The construction project embraces the entire ambit of the legal zoning plan. In accordance with section 34 of the German Building Code, two structures with housing and amenities are currently under construction in the immediate vicinity on the East construction site.
Hafenpark Quarter, South construction site – housing and hotel
High-end condominiums with a view of the River Main and the Frankfurt skyline will be built in the southern section of the site. The building ensemble surrounding a greened courtyard will comprise two-story town houses, apartment buildings, and penthouses. Two residential high-rises, 52 and 58 meters in height, which define the appearance of the side of the quarter overlooking the water, are the special features of the winning entry to the architecture competition. The design is by Hadi Teherani Architects in Hamburg.
The hotel is part of the design with which the architect Hadi Teherani won the competition staged by the B&L Group and the City of Frankfurt. The plans envisage a piece of real estate for the hotel operated by the Scandinavian market leader Scandic (see pdf).
Hafenpark Quarter, North construction site – offices
On the North construction site there are plans for offices in the form of a three-building ensemble on Hanauer Landstrasse. Soaring to a height of around 60 meters and visible from afar, the Office Tower will be the highlight of the new quarter. With regard to the realization of the project an architecture competition is planned for 2019.
Hotel high-rise at the tip of the mole
To the south of the Hafenpark Quarter the B&L Group is planning a hotel high-rise in a prominent position on the River Main. To this end there are plans for a high-quality hotel concept. The architecture competition was held in 2018 and the jury session in February 2019. The firm of architects Barkow Leibinger in Berlin submitted the winning entry. The edifice stands out for its multi-fold, vertically structured glass facade and the clear contour the cut of the three slightly offset tips produces (see pdf).