Hellerhöfe: Cornerstone Laid for New Neighborhood in Frankfurt’s Gallus District
In Frankfurt’s Gallus district, another step has been taken in the development of the Hellerhöfe complex. At a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony held on the approximately two-hectare site of the former headquarters of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (F.A.Z.) and the Frankfurter Societät, the current progress of construction was showcased. The project is being carried out by Bauwens in collaboration with its joint venture partners, F.A.Z. and Frankfurter Societät. Completion of the mixed-use complex is scheduled for the period between 2028 and 2030.
First Signs of Construction Progress Are Visible
Construction on the former F.A.Z. site has been underway since the middle of last year. Since the groundbreaking ceremony, work has included excavating the foundation pit and installing the geothermal system. The concrete pour for the foundation slab has now been completed, and construction of the basement levels has begun. Currently, concrete work is underway on the rising structural elements and the ceiling of the second basement level. The construction of additional floors is planned for the remainder of the year. The laying of the cornerstone marked the transition to the next phase of the neighborhood’s development. The event was held at the future site of the planned school, together with project partners and representatives of the City of Frankfurt.
Among those attending the event were Marcus Gwechenberger, Head of the Planning Department; Volker Geenen from Bauwens; and Dr. Volker Breid, Managing Director of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Construction plans, daily newspapers, coins, and other documents typical of the era were placed in a time capsule. Afterward, the guests gathered for a reception along Hellerhofstraße.
“The Hellerhöfe also represent a clear commitment by private investors to Frankfurt as a business location. The fact that high-quality office space is being developed here alongside urgently needed housing demonstrates confidence in the long-term development of the Gallus district. Especially in a challenging market environment, it sends an important signal to consistently pursue and implement projects,” says Volker Geenen, Branch Manager of Bauwens Frankfurt and Managing Director of the Hellerhöfe project.
“The Hellerhöfe demonstrate that urban development projects in Frankfurt are continuing to move forward,” says Marcus Gwechenberger, Head of the Planning Department. “The mix of publicly subsidized and privately financed rental apartments makes an important contribution to social diversity and to easing the strain on Frankfurt’s housing market. At the same time, the project clearly demonstrates how affordable housing, high-quality urban design, and social infrastructure can be developed together on inner-city sites.”
“The fact that this project is being built on our former site holds special significance for many of us. This place stands for public engagement, debate, and responsibility—for the daily struggle to make good decisions. “We at the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung hope that a new, vibrant neighborhood will emerge here—one that takes responsibility: toward the city and its legitimate concerns, toward the people who will live and work here, and toward the children who will first attend daycare centers here and later go to school,” said F.A.Z. Managing Director Dr. Volker Breid.
“With the Hellerhöfe, a forward-looking part of the city is taking shape, providing urgently needed housing for around 1,000 Frankfurt residents. Together with all stakeholders, as architects and urban designers, we are creating an urban complex on this historic site that combines sustainability, community, and architectural identity—and, with the hybrid-wood high-rise, is also setting a visible example for the future of construction,” says Christian Olaf Schmidt, founding partner of Schmidt Plöcker Architekten BDA.
