Construction Project on Obernstraße: Bremen's Plans for the Building Barrier
In the heart of Bremen, a new residential and commercial building is set to rise on the site that once housed a building between Obernstraße and Lloydpassage. This project is being spearheaded by Brestadt, a city development company founded in the summer of 2024, which also owns the Mitte parking garage and the former Horten or Galeria department store.
The HD Group, the current owners of the property at Obernstraße 45 to 47, have plans for the new building. They intend to construct 141 micro-apartments, designed for temporary residents, and incorporate commercial apartments, similar to a hotel. One of the retail spaces on the ground floor is expected to be occupied by Rossmann, although the company has declined to comment on this.
Brestadt is known for its proactive approach to city center development. The city of Bremen uses formal ways such as building plans, approval procedures, pre-emption rights, and strategic papers to maintain its interests in such projects. Examples of these strategic papers include the Bremen City Center Concept 2025 and the "Bremen City Center Strategy 2030+".
The city of Bremen has the ability to drive its own projects in the city center, as demonstrated by the creation of Brestadt. The project office in Bremen serves as an interface between the city, its citizens, and investors, mediating and establishing contact with investors if necessary.
Many visitors take the opportunity to view the latest construction site in the city at Obernstraße. Residents of Bremen can participate in the city center's development through various means, such as the building plan procedure, dialogue forums, and contacting the project office with their own ideas.
Bremen residents interested in involvement should look for official announcements or invitations to participate in public consultations and planning workshops organized by the city or developers related to Obernstraße and city center developments. Citizens' forums or assemblies initiated to collect local views, which may take the form of panel discussions or randomly selected citizens' groups deliberating on development plans, could also be a means of participation.
The future of the department store on Hanseatenhof, also owned by Brestadt, is still undecided. The building is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
[1] Energiequelle GmbH: Citizen Involvement in Wind Farm Development, www.energiequelle.de/en/energy-projects/wind-energy/citizen-involvement/ [4] Citizens' Assemblies in Germany: A Model for Involving Local People in Urban and Infrastructure Planning, www.citizensassembly.org/germany
- Other investors might find the proactive approach of Brestadt appealing, as they could potentially collaborate on real-estate projects in Bremen, such as financing the development of commercial spaces in the new building at Obernstraße.
- For those interested in other development projects in Bremen, they may want to consider looking into wind farm initiatives, like those led by Energiequelle GmbH, or exploring the concept of citizens' assemblies for urban and infrastructure planning, as examples like those in Germany can provide valuable insights for citizen involvement.
