Griesheim Industrial Park
Mr. Alexander Thäter
fone: +49 (0)69 212 34968
Project description
Reason for planning
In Frankfurt, Griesheim Industrial Park is an important site for commerce and industry. However, it is currently underutilized despite a strong demand for spaces for commercial uses.
The new development and thus the city administration’s planning was prompted by BEOS AG acquiring central areas in the industrial park. The property developer is developing and marketing its properties under the name “Frankfurt Westside”.
Taking this as its starting point, the City of Frankfurt seeks to develop a masterplan and land-use plan for the entire industrial park. The masterplan will define the city’s overarching objectives, while the land-use plan will ensure these have strong foundations in planning law.
Planning area
The Griesheim Industrial Park is located directly on the north bank of the River Main, between the centers of the districts of Griesheim and Nied. The planning area covers the site of the industrial park itself. In the south, it is bordered by Stroofstrasse, in the east by Haeussermannstrasse, in the north by the LRT tracks, and in the west by Fritz Klatte Strasse.
Moreover, the City of Frankfurt has included the surrounding parkland and unbuilt areas in its plans, especially the Lachegraben (between the industrial park and the B40a road) as well as the riverbank south of Stroofstrasse.
The total planning area covers approximately 102 hectares, of which the industrial park’s core zones account for about 70 hectares.
Planning objectives
The planning objective is to ensure that in the long term the Griesheim Industrial Park is put to new, sustainable, and appropriate use by industry, commerce, and the trades. Consideration will be paid in this regard to what industry and commerce currently expects of such parks, namely sustainable mobility, environmentally friendly buildings, and new operational forms (such as computer centers).
Planning focuses on defining parameters for the size and design of buildings, the spread of uses across the park, and the design of public spaces, not to mention the structure of internal, outgoing, and incoming traffic. Firm objectives include:
- Industrial and commercial use: The aim is for Griesheim Industrial Park to house different types of commercial uses, in particular modern operational forms. The City of Frankfurt’s existing concepts and resolutions will come to bear here. Buildings shall be aligned to the surroundings in order to exploit the potential (riverbank) and not place an undue burden on uses in the vicinity, such as housing in particular.
- Construction standards for commercial buildings: The goal is for Griesheim Industrial Park to meet modern standards for energy usage, renewable energy, waste heat use, and greening and act as a beacon. Selected existing buildings will be preserved in order to highlight the estate’s history.
- Water management: The Griesheim Industrial Park will adopt new approaches in the field of water management as regards process and surface water, and thus reduce water consumption levels.
- Attractive working conditions: The public spaces of the Griesheim Industrial Park will be attractive and adjusted to the climate so they become an appealing destination for employees and all Frankfurt citizens alike.
- Public access and use of the riverbank: The Main riverside will be redesigned to make it suitable for pedestrians, cyclists, and as a leisure zone and to create an uninterrupted axis along the north bank. The riverside will be designed to attract users from well beyond Griesheim Industrial Park.
- Protection of the local ecology: The ecologically invaluable meadow woodlands between Stroofstrasse and the riverbank to the west of the sewage plant will be fully preserved in their current function.
- Transportation planning in light of operational needs: In the design of the transportation areas and the public spaces in and around Griesheim Industrial Park, the focus should be on the needs of the industrial and commercial outfits there. The potential expansion of a cycle-path and pavement along Stroofstrasse must not therefore impair the use of the road for commercial traffic. The suitability of the road infrastructure for commercial traffic and freight haulage must not be restricted in any way, and this must be secured as part of preparing the land-use plan.
- Promoting sustainable mobility: The industrial park must be designed so as to promote sustainable mobility and thus contribute to the mobility transition. Thus, the proportion of transportation provided by the local public authorities and above all non-motorized transportation must be increased, and modern and innovative solutions deployed (e-mobility services, car-sharing, bike-sharing, neighborhood underground carparks, shuttle busses, etc.).
- Embedded into the Griesheim context: The industrial park must incorporate, support, and strengthen the development objectives for central Griesheim.
Planning (masterplan and land-use plan) will reflect the development objectives of both the City of Frankfurt and the property owners, specifically BEOS AG as the leaseholder, in a variety of fields. Moreover, they shall form the basis for evaluating future construction and planning projects. In the course of the district development pursued, in particular little used areas or those not used at all shall be readied for new commercial utilization. This will help with tapping the potential of downtown land and at the same time enabling the companies currently located there to remain. Planning must include efforts to ensure that despite its different owners and leaseholders, Griesheim Industrial Park is developed in uniform and high-grade fashion.
Project progress
Next steps
- Comprehensive assessment of requirements (e.g., expert reports on biodiversity protection)
- Compiling a draft land-use plan.
March 2, 2023: The City Council approves both the masterplan and the preparation of a land-use plan (agenda item M12 of 2023).
As of 2022:
- BEOS AG acquired additional land from SGL Carbon SE that is located in the heart of the industrial park and thus holds the lease to almost all the acreage. BEOS AG starts demolition of existing buildings on its land and other preparatory measures for new buildings.
As of 2021:
- With the involvement of all the relevant specialist departments (City Planning Dept., City Environment Dept., City Parks Dept., Dept. of Road Building and Access Development, Dept. of Transport; Sewage and Drains Dept., Energy Dept., Business Promotion Council, Building Supervisory Office), the City Executive compiles a masterplan for the entire industrial park, including the surrounding open spaces. In addition, the groundwork is laid for City Council approval of a land-use plan.
2020:
- BEOS AG acquires a large section of the areas in Griesheim Industrial Park under leasehold and starts urban planning in order to newly develop these areas. Initial coordination talks are held with the City Executive.