Building freezing in Bamberg: Ecosquare project is on the brink!

Building freezing in Bamberg: Ecosquare project is on the brink!

The planned "Ecosquare" residential area in Bamberg, which extends to Starkenfeldstraße/Annastraße on the corner, is the focus of local discussions about the lack of living space in the city. Not only 73 residential units, but also a hotel, event areas and facilities for childcare are to be created on an area of ​​1.2 hectares. The construction started for 2020, originally the project should be completed by mid -2024. But the current progress leaves a lot to be desired, which in the city council has met with increasing displeasure. As Infranken.de has been calling for a comprehensive review of the project since 2023 Mayor Andreas Starke, also from the SPD, critically commented on the situation. He emphasized that the "construction pit could no longer be accepted without progress". In this context, he invited the investor Thomas Banning to talk about how to proceed. The reasons for the delays are diverse: in addition to corona pandemic, soil contamination, the Ukraine war, deleted grants, delivery bottlenecks and increased construction prices also hinder the work. The city has tried to find possible partners, but so far without satisfactory results.

deadline and future of the project

The city administration of Bamberg is now examining legal options to advance the development. The investor was set: by May 31, 2025, he must submit new conceptual suggestions. These plans are then to be presented to the Bausenat for a decision, whereby a political decision about the future of the project is to be made before the summer break. The results of a current study are reinforced the worrying situation with regard to the supply and demand of living space. According to bpb.de there are missing 550,000 apartments nationwide.

The study also shows that in large cities such as Hamburg and Berlin, every third empty apartment is empty than a year. At the same time, the need for living space has increased due to high immigration numbers, while the construction activity remains far behind the requirements. According to a forecast, a completion of only 150,000 to 200,000 apartments is expected for 2025, while 372,000 new apartments are required annually.

developments around Ecosquare

In recent years there have been numerous setbacks and delays in the Ecosquare project. For example, the construction sign was damaged by a storm on February 21, 2022 and had to be repaired. Other infrastructural problems, such as unknown contaminated sites in the ground, required complex and time-consuming clarification and disposal measures, which also delayed completion. An insight into the development of the project also shows that planned changes in use of the buildings were discussed on the basis of the Covid 19 pandemic. There is currently a great need for affordable living space, which underlines the urgency of the Ecosquare project and presents the city of Bamberg for challenges.