"Station Mitte" event hall: structural requirements are being created - construction on hold for the time being
19.07.2024
When the news broke last year that the Offenbach Kaufhof store was closing, Lord Mayor Dr. Felix Schwenke initially opted for a prudent strategic approach due to the city's financial situation. At this point, the mayor was already aware that the store in a prime city center location could be an important anchor property for the city - but the price was beyond Offenbach's means. At the beginning of this year, the opportunity arose to acquire the Kaufhof building at a significantly lower price than originally offered. "The city of Offenbach has thus bought the long-sought location for the urgently needed expansion of the city library at a reasonable price. The City Library as an educational institution must offer space to all those who are diligent and willing to learn, which it has not done for a long time," said Lord Mayor Dr. Felix Schwenke, recalling the core content of the "Station Mitte" project. Discussions on the acquisition of the building revealed that an event hall on the roof is also possible, at least structurally. It was therefore agreed to examine whether construction and operation were financially feasible: "Due to the current very tight budget situation, we decided after many joint discussions not to build an event hall on the roof for the time being. This was not an easy decision to make. But the citizens can expect us to keep the money together in times of tight budgets," says City Treasurer Martin Wilhelm.
Intensive checks and cost forecasts have shown that, although the costs for the construction of the hall would be within the available budget, the costs for the operation and maintenance of this new event venue in the coming years could not be financed from the Offenbach city budget - or would place a heavy burden on it.
Station Mitte in the former Kaufhof building is currently being transformed into an open meeting place for all Offenbach residents: to spend time, learn or read, try out new things and exchange ideas without any pressure to consume. The city library will be the anchor user. Planning is in full swing.
Structural prerequisite for subsequent retrofitting
"As a citizen and head of the cultural department, I would have loved to have this space for events of all kinds in the heart of the city center," says Lord Mayor Schwenke. "However, as Lord Mayor of a city that will have to present a budget that can be approved in the coming years, which are likely to remain financially difficult, I also have a responsibility to only initiate projects that are affordable in the end. We have therefore deliberately made unadorned calculations. These come to the conclusion that the operation of the event hall alone would cost us over three quarters of a million euros per year in addition to the library's operating costs. Added to this would be around 1.6 million euros for the initial equipping of the hall. But we don't have these additional funds just like that," regrets Schwenke.
Nevertheless, the current plans create all the structural prerequisites for an extension at a later date. Specific examples include Fire protection measures, separate routes via separate stairwells and elevators as well as necessary connections and upgrading the load-bearing capacity of the roof.
"By carrying out the work in this way, we are keeping the option open to retrofit the hall at a reasonable cost at a later date. But now, in times of tight budgets, we are initially saving a small part of the construction costs and not triggering annual operating costs that can no longer be reduced," says City Treasurer Wilhelm.
"The event hall is therefore part of the current planning. However, the implementation of the hall itself is not included in the conversion project, which is due to be completed in 2026," explains Wilhelm.
"To ensure that the extensive roof area with a good view over the city center can still be used and enjoyed, parts of it will be accessible as a terrace for public use during the ongoing operation of the library once the conversion is complete," concludes Wilhelm.
