Creating Space at REME Lot 2

In 2019, Instone Real Estate Development was awarded the contract for the development of REME Lot 2. Now, the demolition of the old buildings is underway to make way for the new quarter with around 300 diverse residential units. This is an important milestone for the development of the entire REME area.

Under the bright sunshine, the press was invited to the REME site to get an impression of the demolition and renovation work, which is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023. The project involves the demolition of 22 buildings, halls, and extensions with a total gross volume of approximately 66,000 cubic meters (BRI). Preliminary deconstruction work has already been carried out. Around 30,000 square meters of paving, asphalt, and concrete surfaces still need to be removed, approximately 4,500 meters of sewerage must be upgraded, and about 100,000 tons of construction waste must be disposed of. As a urban landmark and tribute to its former military use, significant elements of the 190-meter-long tank hall and the boiler house with its chimney will be preserved. “The future needs heritage,” summarizes Dr. Gregor Bonin, City Director and Technical Councilor.

The designs by Instone envision a predominantly car-free area with an urban open space concept and neighborhood squares embedded in greenery. In total, around 300 residential units with a wide range of different forms of housing are planned for the approximately 42,000 square meter area. Dr. Ulrich Schückhaus, Chairman of the EWMG Management Board, looks forward to “a beautiful quarter with a high quality of stay.” The construction of a “vibrant piece of the city,” as Bonin puts it, is expected to begin in 2024.

In recent years, EWMG has gradually acquired the properties for the REME site and has also taken over the marketing of Lot 2 for the city. After the tendering process and concept allocation, a so-called preliminary contract has been signed between EWMG and Instone in 2021 to provide planning security and reliability for both parties. In the coming months, the final purchase contract will be finalized, and the development plan will also become legally binding in 2023.

EWMG will also take over the development and marketing of the REME Lot 1 area from 2023. On the former production site 1 of Pollrich GmbH, a new residential quarter will be built, including single-family and semi-detached houses, a primary school, a kindergarten, and senior-friendly housing options. The development of Lot 3 will follow. The tenders for the demolition and renovation work are currently being prepared, as well as the renaturation of the Gladbach stream in the south, which will give the quarter a special flair and serve an ecological function, such as acting as a retention area during heavy rainfall.