New Emmy Noether School building on schedule and on budget in the start-up phase
13.05.2026
The construction workers are making good progress on the former goods station site and are on schedule. The excavation pit for the new Emmy Noether School has already been dug to a depth of around 2.5 meters. A mixed earth-concrete wall is securing the pit all around. 250 back anchors provide additional support. The earthworks should be completed in June. "This is good news for everyone waiting for the new school. We hope that things will continue like this despite the uncertain global situation," said Paul-Gerhardt Weiß, Head of Building and Planning, referring to the costs, contract awards and delivery deadlines.
The building permit for the next major step, building construction, has been in place since March and the necessary agreements have been reached with the owners of the neighboring properties and Deutsche Bahn. At the end of April, two further contracts were awarded for the construction logistics and the shell construction. "The costs have so far been in line with the calculation. Although the positive contract awards are encouraging, world events may still have an impact on prices and deadlines in the further course of the project," says Weiß, remaining cautious in his forecast.
Background
The Emmy Noether School was founded in 2023 because the strong population growth in Offenbach required a new secondary school. While additional places could be created at integrated comprehensive schools by building extensions, this was not possible at the existing grammar schools. A new grammar school was therefore founded in consultation with the state education authority. Pupils are currently accommodated in the former Fröbelschule building. The new grammar school is being built on the former freight station site and is due to be completed by the end of 2028. The new five-storey building is being constructed on a site area of just 10,000 square meters. With well thought-out planning, the new school offers space for around 1,500 pupils and 100 teachers. Special highlights of the project are the various break and leisure areas on the roofs, a canteen that provides 1,080 meals a day and a three-court sports hall that can also be used outside of school hours. The building will be constructed to the KfW 40 standard and equipped with photovoltaics, hybrid heating technology and efficient ventilation. In addition, the spacious roof, which is also used as a break and learning area, saves high maintenance costs with its automated irrigation systems.
City invests in education
The city of Offenbach am Main has been continuously investing in modern school and daycare buildings since 2007. The reason for this is the increase in the number of children and the goal of creating optimal learning conditions for future generations. With pro rata support from the federal and state governments, over 409 million euros have already been invested in completed projects for the construction and renovation of schools and daycare centers since 2007. Today, more than 60 percent of the approximately 18,800 pupils learn in completely new or fully renovated school buildings. A further 15 percent attend partially renovated facilities, while 5 percent attend schools that are currently being renovated or extended. Of a total of around 2,300 daycare children under the age of 6 in municipal facilities, around 80 percent attend new or completely renovated daycare centers. Projects worth around 266 million euros are currently under construction for schools, bringing the total amount of investment since 2007 to 675 million euros.
The Building Construction Management department of the Office for Planning and Construction is responsible for the measures as the owner's representative and client. It is responsible for the planning and development of the projects. The city council has commissioned OPG Offenbacher Projektentwicklungsgesellschaft mbH, a subsidiary of Stadtwerke Offenbach, to manage all refurbishment and new construction projects. OPG implements many urban development projects on behalf of the city. In addition to project management for the construction and renovation of schools and daycare centers, these include the development and marketing of the port area and the Innovation Campus.