Mertonviertel – North of Lurgiallee
Mr. Michael Theis
fone: +49 (0)69 212 44587
Mr. Felix Schoeler
fone: +49 (0)69 212 34598
Project description
Reason for planning
In north Frankfurt, the Mertonviertel has for some time now been reporting increasing vacancies in larger office properties and a trend for usages to change. Centrally located here is the Lurgi grounds, as it is known, which is about 8 hectares in size. It is not being used and the Lurgi building which was of late vacant has been torn down. At the same time, there is an ongoing great need for additional housing in Frankfurt. The intention is to meet that demand by creating appealing and contemporary quarters.
In 2018, Development Plan no. 922 “North of Lurgiallee” was approved by the City CounciulCouncil. The plan largely covers the Lurgi grounds. The approval focused specifically on sparking an urban development centering on small-sectioned, mixed-usage quarters with the emphasis on “housing”. In addition to housing and commercial properties, the quarter will going forward also boast two childcare facilities and a new primary school.
The site is centrally located and has good local public transportation links. The new uses offer an opportunity to make a considerable contribution to the district’s internal development by creating a new, efficiently scaled quarter without having to veer away from brownfield development. The project is destined to favorably stimulate and benefit the entire Mertonviertel in terms of being an attractive and vibrant area for work and homes.
Development district
The ”“North of Lurgiallee” development site is located inside Mertonviertel in the north of Frankfurt/Main and is part of the Niederursel district. The Mertonviertel is bordered on the north by the district of Kalbach-Riedberg and in the south by that of Heddernheim.
The development site has as its southern edge Lurgiallee and its eastern boundary Olof Palme Strasse. In the west and north it is delimited by large standalone buildings. The suburban rail station of Riedwiese/Mertonviertel can be easily reached by foot and offers good connections to the local public transport system.
The Development Plan no. 922 that awaits approval covers an area of some 8.55 hectares. By far the largest part of it is made up of the Lurgi grounds, which are about 8 hectares in size. Moreover, parts of the adjacent Lurgiallee and Olof Palme Strasse come under it.
Planning objectives
Development Plan no. 922 – North of Lurgiallee is intended to lay the legal planning foundations for a small-sectioned, thoroughly greened quarter with little car traffic. It will be dedicated primarily to housing, supplemented with some office and commercial properties as well as retail and hospitality outlets. Furthermore, the plans envisage a new primary school and two new childcare facilities.
The objective is to provide appealing parkland and open recreational spaces that also fulfill key ecological and climate functions. The plans must meet climate-change requirements and ensure the retention and managed use of rainwater.
Thanks to the good local public transportation connections, the plans for the quarter will be based on a modern mobility concept that reduces the car traffic in the area and establishes a quarter boasting few cars.
The objective is for the area covered by the plans to stimulate the surrounding Mertonviertel and boost its vibrancy.
With the application of the “Approval of land for building for Frankfurt’s urban development” and its realization, an important contribution will likewise be made to a more socially equitable use of land and the creation of more affordable housing in Frankfurt.
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Project progress
Next planning steps:
- Compilation of a legal draft plan
- City Council approves the legal draft plan and its public disclosure
- Conclusion of urban planning contracts on the basis of the site being designated as building land as part of Frankfurt’s urban development
Public disclosure of the draft zoning plan
Currently:
- Evaluation of the statements and comments from the timely involvement of the public authorities and the general public
- Further elaboration of the winning urban and open-space planning concept
- Coordination with the key specialist municipal departments and the owners of the real estate included in the planning
- Preparation of expert reports and implementation of the next steps in the development plan process
- Negotiation with the land owners on the contents of the urban planning contracts on the basis of the land designated for building purposes
- Realization of the next steps in the zoning plan process
Oct. 18 – Nov. 20, 2023: Period assigned for the timely involvement of the general public as per section 3 (1) German Building Code (BauGB) with an information event held in the framework of a meeting of District Advisory Council 8 on Oct. 19, 2023.
Sept. 22 – Oct. 23, 2023: Period assigned for timely consultation with the public authorities and other public-interest agencies as per section 4 (1) German Building Code (BauGB)
Feb. 7 – March 5, 2023: Public display of the results of the competition in Merton’s Passage arcade
Oct. 24 – Nov. 4, 2022: Public display of the results of the competition in the atrium of the City Planning Dept.
Oct. 21, 2022: First prize awarded in the framework of an anonymous and two-phase process for the proposal put forward by the joint venture TELEINTERNETCAFE Architektur und Urbanismus, Berlin, together with TREIBHAUS Landschaftsarchitektur, Hamburg and c/o Zukunft – Stadtplanung und Stadtentwicklung, Hamburg as the basis for further planning.
March 2022: City of Frankfurt Dept. of Planning publishes and opens the competition for urban and open-space planning ideas.
2021: Preparation of a competition for urban and open-space planning ideas and application for grants from the State “Sustainable Housing Environment” program in connection with the State initiative “Outer Frankfurt Belt”.
2020: Planning objectives fleshed out and informal involvement of the specialist municipal departments after several changes of ownership.
February 20, 2018: Public announcement of the approval of the development in the Official Gazette no. 8
Feb. 1, 2018:Approval of the Development Plan no. 922 – North of Lurgiallee by the Frankfurt City Council.