Innovative residential concept is the winner

Approx. 30 micro-apartments and more than 50 furnished boarding rooms for short-term rental are to be built in the central location of Aachener Straße 3-13. Mönchengladbach is moving with the times.

According to the housing market report published by the City of Mönchengladbach, one-person households already account for almost 50 percent of the 140,000 households – and the trend is still rising. As a consequence, there will be growing demand for small apartments in future. “The new development on Aachener Straße will make an important contribution to needs-based and diverse urban development”, Dr. Ulrich Schückhaus, Chairman of the Board of Management of Entwicklungsgesellschaft der Stadt Mönchengladbach (EWMG), said.

The bid submitted by IAA Architecten and the Dutch project developer Aqui-Visions B.V. beat four other offers in the call for tenders jointly issued by EWMG and the city’s Planning, Construction, Mobility and Environment Department. The deciding factor was the innovative site usage concept featuring micro-apartments. The purchase agreement has now been signed and ownership transferred to a project company.

Originally, it had been planned to use the approx. 2,100 m² site on Aachener Straße to build an extension to the city administration offices located on the other side of the road. However, the planned new town hall building in Rheydt means that development of this plot can now be dedicated to residential use. As City Director and Technical City Councillor, Dr. Gregor Bonin, emphasized, this is an important step to “heighten the attractiveness of the inner city and add value to the cityscape in this district”.

Aqui-Visions is planning 32 micro-apartments as well as 53 furnished boarding rooms for short-term rental. The company analysed the need for these forms of residential accommodation when preparing the bid. “We are convinced about the location”, Henk Hulsebos, Director of Aqui-Visions, commented. “The target groups for our apartments are students, senior citizens and classic one-person households as well as young professionals and expats working in Mönchengladbach for a limited period.”

With reference to the boarding rooms, Aqui-Visions will conclude a long-term rental agreement with a professional operator that has a proven track record in Germany for managing this particular form of residential accommodation. Its special features include modern design and state-of-the art technology such as the 24/7 keyless check-in to make arriving in an unfamiliar city both uncomplicated and convenient.

Aqui-Visions will first demolish the present buildings, some of which are derelict, to make space for the 85 modern, new residential units in this top inner-city location. The 44 to 57 m² micro-apartments and the 20-30 m² boarding rooms – all units include a bathroom and kitchenette – will then be built on the plot directly bordering Kapuzinerplatz within the space of a further two years.

Mönchengladbach is thus not only serving expected demand for small residential units, but is also catering for the new urban living experience, providing uncomplicated all-round packages inviting people to “unpack their suitcase and start living”.