Mönchengladbach on track for a sustainable future

In the time of corona and economic and social uncertainty, Entwicklungsgesellschaft der Stadt Mönchengladbach (EWMG) is helping put the city on track for a sustainable future. Together with the city’s administration, EWMG is driving qualitative growth in Mönchengladbach forward in preparation for the post-corona era. A good financial performance in 2019 provides the necessary stability.

At €16.9 million, sales revenue in 2019 was well above the prior-year level (2018: €11.5 million). “2019 was an exceptional year”, explained Dr. Ulrich Schückhaus, Chairman of the Board of Management of EWMG, referring in particular to the sale of major commercial sites and the marketing of real estate on Thomas-Merkelbach-Straße. The Supervisory Board and the Shareholders’ Meeting resolved to leave the net income for the 2019 fiscal year amounting to €880,000 in the company to enable a higher level of liquidity for major construction projects.

At €4.9 million (2018: €4.6 million), rental and lease business again proved a stable source of revenue in 2019. “However, we will feel the effects of the corona crisis on this business for the current fiscal year”, Schückhaus said, adding that revenue would drop.

City on the move

The good news is that the major development projects such as Seestadt mg+, Maria Hilf terraces or the REME site are not affected by the crisis. “Here, Mönchengladbach is reaping the benefits of its long-term urban development strategy called ‘mg+ The Growing City’”, City Director and EWMG Managing Director, Dr. Gregor Bonin, said. “That is encouraging for the future.” An interactive GIS web application offers an insight into just how much is happening in Mönchengladbach despite corona. The app (German only) is available from www.stadt.mg/stadt-im-wandel and the EWMG website and is constantly updated. This is where interested citizens can find out more about ongoing and upcoming construction projects in their city.

With an eye to the future and the time after corona, EWMG is planning major investments in the coming years. “We must lay the groundwork today so that our city can continue its qualitative growth in the medium and long term”, EWMG Supervisory Board Chairman Horst Peter Vennen said. Schückhaus went into more detail: Apart from the new building at Rheydt Main Railway Station, which among other things will be housing an approx. 1,700 m² police station, EWMG is preparing to market new residential lots on Winkelner Straße (approx. 30 units) and Hansastraße (approx. 125 units).

Hockey city

One of the biggest projects in the coming years is the new national hockey training centre. “I am delighted that Mönchengladbach is further strengthening its reputation as a hockey city. The national training centre will raise the profile of the whole city and attract new guests to Mönchengladbach”, Schückhaus said.

The current focus is the construction of a sport hotel. In a two-stage pan-European architecture competition, Otten Architeken convinced the jury of experts and politicians, beating four rivals. The cost effectiveness of the bids counted for 40% and the quality of the concept for 60%. In addition to 60 guest rooms, the sport hotel will also house seminar rooms, a kitchen, a dining area and a back office as well as space for fitness and weight training, gymnastics and physiotherapy. The next stage in the project begins in the third quarter of 2020 with a Europe-wide tendering process to find an operator for the sport hotel. Construction is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2021, with completion one year later.

The German Hockey Federation has agreed on an annual occupancy of some 5,000 overnight stays. The remaining capacities will be freely marketed, with a particular focus on sports guests such as international hockey teams wishing to train on the Olympic-standard hockey pitches in Mönchengladbach. An air-supported structure enabling year-round training and matches is to be built directly adjacent to the pitch under the second construction phase. The entire project is receiving funding amounting to approx. €10.5 million from the state of NRW. So, there is plenty of action – on the hockey pitch and in Mönchengladbach.

Design of the new sport hotel by OttenArchitekten