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New life for the Winzler district: Pirmasens is fighting against decay!
Find out how the Winzler district in Pirmasens is fighting its way out of the crisis and becoming senior-friendly with an innovative urban development concept.
New life for the Winzler district: Pirmasens is fighting against decay!
In Pirmasens, more precisely in the Winzler district, there is an exciting twist in a story from decline to recovery. In the early 2000s, a decline began here, causing many shops to turn off their lights and severely impacting residents' quality of life. Ralph Stegner, the managing director of Bauhilfe Pirmasens, remembers broken streets and outdated buildings. The closure of the shoe factories and the withdrawal of US soldiers hit the city to the heart - the once thriving working-class district turned into a dreary area.
The situation was dramatic: former children's homes and homes were in a deplorable condition, and many houses were empty. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, as SWR reports. The new urban development concept 'Living for Generations' is now underway to revitalize the district.
Together for a better neighborhood
Under the motto 'PS:patio!', the city of Pirmasens, Bauhilfe and Diakonie have launched a comprehensive project. The aim is to create barrier-free apartments that enable older people to lead self-determined lives. The concept is based on the tried and tested Bielefeld model for nursing care. The idea of a mixed population is particularly noteworthy: seniors, singles, couples and young families are warmly welcome here.
An outpatient care service, supported by Diakonie, plays a key role in this project and ensures that the needs of the older generation are not overlooked. The construction project began in 2007 with the demolition of four large post-war apartment blocks from the 1950s, followed by the start of actual construction work in 2011.
A lively exchange in the district
In order to convince citizens of the vision of an active neighborhood, not only did they have to work hard, they also had to build trust. A project shop on Winzler Straße served as a contact point for exchange and information about the construction progress. The P11 community center, which replaced the project shop in 2019, is now a popular meeting place for around 150 people per week.
The new infrastructure of the Winzler district is senior-friendly, with short distances to the bus, shops and banks. Despite the challenges in the past, work continues to make the district more attractive for young families. An area opposite the community center has already been acquired, where run-down properties with a high level of vacancy currently stand.
In the future, Bauhilfe Pirmasens plans to push forward with ongoing construction projects in order to continue to make the district attractive. For the future of the city, this commitment could be the key to a more livable Pirmasens. If you would like to find out more about the planned projects, you can find further information on the official website PS-PATIO.
So big things are happening in Pirmasens and the path that the Winzler district travels can serve as an example for many other districts in similar situations. It remains exciting to see how the situation develops.