Start of market square renovation postponed to spring 2021

The new plan envisages that the central market square from Frankfurter Straße to Waldstraße and Geleitsstraße, excluding Bieberer Straße, will be rebuilt. The redesign was due to begin in the fall of 2020, but the conversion is expected to be postponed by six months. The city councillors had already approved the new plans in December 2019. In their decision, however, they recommended greening the roof of the stop to be redesigned and first checking whether additional funding could be acquired from funding programs.

Specifically, the so-called "tent roof stop" opposite the Schwanen pharmacy will be renovated. A high-quality steel construction is planned, which takes up the design motif of a tree - with a trunk and a roof reminiscent of a leaf. In accordance with the wishes of the city councillors, the Environmental Agency and the City Planning, Transport and Construction Management Department have examined whether and how the roof of this bus stop can be greened.

90 percent of the costs for the greening can be subsidized under the "Directive of the State of Hesse for the promotion of municipal climate protection and climate adaptation projects and municipal information initiatives". The bus stop planning and construction is being implemented with the support of the "Active Core Areas" funding program. The architectural firm Just und Burgeff has been commissioned with the implementation. They plan to cover the roof with a substrate fill and natural vegetation with herbs, grasses and stonecrop. The costs amount to 40,000 euros, including 11,000 euros for the substrate and plants and 29,000 euros for construction, statics and planning. A further 36,000 euros will be spent on lighting the "leaf roof".

"The greening of the bus stop roof must also be seen in the context of the 'Future Concept for the City Center'," says Paul-Gerhard Weiß, Head of Planning. "It enhances the appearance and improves the microclimate. Because in a densely populated city, even small buildings have an impact on the microclimate."

In addition, a drinking water fountain will be installed in the market square area, which is eligible for up to 90 percent funding. "Due to its central location and in conjunction with the upcoming renovation project, this area of the city center is very well suited for the installation of a drinking fountain," explains Weiß. "We assume that a drinking fountain will be very well used, especially in the city center." In order to integrate the drinking fountain into the overall design of the reconstruction of the market square, it makes sense to include it in the overall project. The exact location and technical implementation will be determined in the subsequent planning stages. Based on the experience of neighboring municipalities, the Department of Urban Design and Greenery estimates the costs at 39,000 euros. In addition, there are maintenance costs of 4,000 euros per year.

The next steps are: Before the anticipated start of construction in spring 2021, the tender for the construction work will be prepared and the contractor selected. The individual conversion steps will be presented to the public before construction begins.