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A new year in Römer with new tasks for politics. The FR names the main points that the coalition has to deal with.
Air conditioning in Frankfurt
Climate neutrality: The goal is set. Frankfurt should become climate neutral by 2035 and the city administration by 2030. And there are already a number of concepts and funding programs for this. There is certainly more needed for climate protection, for example we are waiting for an unsealing concept, but this year it is also about implementing decided projects.
The “solar offensive” from 2022, for example: Photovoltaic and/or solar thermal systems should be built on as many suitable areas in the city as possible. There can hardly be any talk of a massive solar expansion yet, it is stalling. The city has not yet set a clear example in the use of solar energy. A task for 2024.
District heating: Just like the expansion of district heating. Because heat is an essential factor on the way to climate-neutral transformation. It has long been decided that 48 municipal properties with 56 facilities should be connected to the Mainova district heating network. It is now time to implement what the city government has planned. This also applies to the 10,000 new trees that are to be planted in Frankfurt, there will have to be a tree there soon.
The Mainova should rely on district heating. © Rolf Oeser
Places: Or in the climate-adapted redesign of places. Clear stone floors from places and provide them with infiltration opportunities and vegetation. Luisen and Paul-Arnsberg-Platz have been redesigned so far, but Frankfurt is still at the very beginning. Many other places are still waiting, like Atzelbergplatz. Roßmarkt, Goetheplatz and Rathenauplatz are now to be partially redesigned so that the areas there no longer heat up so much and offer more greenery and shade.
Stadtwald: The 2023 forest status report has shown once again that the fight for the climate is important. 98.5 percent of the trees in the city forest are diseased. So practically everyone.
Mobility in Frankfurt
More 20 km/h zones: The city of Frankfurt is introducing more 20 km/h zones this year. A 20 km/h zone will be set up on Friedensstrasse and Kaiserstrasse to Roßmarkt including Bethmannstrasse, where the speed limit is currently 30. Another 20 km/h zone is planned around Frankfurt Cathedral – this includes the streets Fahrgasse, Domplatz, Weckmarkt and Große Fischerstrasse. Since the beginning of December, a 20 km/h zone has been in effect on Große Eschenheimer Straße south of the entrance to the My Zeil car park as well as on Schillerstraße, Rahmhofstraße and Biebergasse. The legal basis is the road traffic regulations, which allow traffic-calmed business areas to operate at reduced speeds.
In parts of the city center the speed limit is 20 © Renate Hoyer
For bicycle-friendly design the Oeder Weg in Nordend, the University of Applied Sciences Frankfurt is presenting a final report this year. It had already published an interim report in November that showed a high level of acceptance regarding the division of street space, the reduction of noise, clarity and the quality of living. 38 percent of the more than 900 participants said they had changed their mode of transport due to the redesign.
The Main Quay Frankfurt will be closed for almost three months this summer. Construction of the fan zone for the European Football Championship begins at the end of May. This will be followed by the City Triathlon on July 28th, the Mainfest at the beginning of August, the Ironman on August 18th and the Museumsuferfest at the end of August. In between, the city is planning another program for “Summer on the Main”. The Roman coalition is aiming to rezone the Mainkai by the end of the electoral term in 2026. Then the street should become a strolling zone.
Culture in Frankfurt
The future of the municipal theaters continues to be discussed © ROLF OESER
Decision on municipal theaters: The city councilors in Römer want to decide this year where opera and theater will be built in Frankfurt. A preliminary decision has already been made. The magistrate is negotiating with Helaba and Frankfurter Sparkasse about a leasehold for the property at Neue Mainzer Straße 47-55, the previous headquarters of Frankfurter Sparkasse. The theater could be rebuilt there. The opera would have its own house on Willy-Brandt-Platz. The municipal theaters from 1963 would be demolished. In a “Memorandum of Understanding”, Mayor Mike Josef (SPD) had already agreed with Helaba and Fraspa on the basic principles of the leasehold: The city would pay 1.99 million euros per year to Helaba or Frankfurter Sparkasse for 199 years, as well as a one-off payment of 35 million Euros, a total of 431 million euros.
The English Theater wants to stay at the Gallusanlage. © Monika Müller
The English Theatre hopes to stay in the Gallileo high-rise at the Gallusanlage. The city is currently negotiating with owner Capitaland to rent the theater space. The European Central Bank (ECB) is being discussed as the main tenant and could move from the Eurotower to the Gallileo high-rise with the European banking regulator SSM.
Planning and living
Relief in prospect: Does the municipal housing company ABG Frankfurt Holding reduce rents for households entitled to subsidized housing in certain cases? The Roman Alliance announced this in the coalition agreement agreed in 2021. And at least the SPD is pushing hard to finally make the promise come true. ABG boss Frank Junker is quite open – but only if the city compensates for the shortfall in income.
The ABG course City politics will also be very busy in other ways. Back in the fall, the city council decided that the ABG should build 60 percent instead of a good 40 percent of subsidized rental apartments. But the higher quota is not yet in effect. The city can only lash these down through the ABG committees. And Junker is also demanding more money from the city to implement the quota. When this should apply is also the subject of discussions.
There are discussions about ABG managing director Frank Junker. © Renate Hoyer
New quarters: At the end of the year, construction of around 860 apartments could begin on Hilgenfeld, in the very north of the city. However, the ABG is still making this subject to the proviso that construction costs will fall again. The first residents will probably move into the Schönhofviertel, which Nassauische Heimstätte and Instone are building on the former Siemens site in Bockenheim, this summer. Up to 5,000 people could live there at some point. Almost 7,000 apartments are to be built in the “district of neighborhoods” on the A5. The city hopes that the region will soon agree to the scaled-down plans for the project.
More towers: The new high-rise master plan, which has been almost finished for years, is finally to be presented. With this, the city is relying on a more cautious development of the skyline. The plan should only allow about a dozen new towers – in the banking district, in the train station district and in the Ostbahnhof / Osthafen area.
Education in Frankfurt
New schools: Frankfurt is getting two new high schools this year, both of which are opening in the “Neue Börse” at Industriehof. Although this will create twelve new fifth classes, it will still not be enough for Frankfurt with its growing number of students. Last year alone, 15 additional fifth classes had to be opened, i.e. 15 classes more than the capacity of the existing schools actually allows. The city must therefore continue to open schools and, above all, find land for new construction or buildings for renovation – and tackle projects such as the school renovation of the authority center on Seehofstrasse.
Two high schools are being built at the industrial yard. © Michael Schick
School renovations: Some of the schools in Frankfurt are so dilapidated that the ceiling is almost literally falling on their heads. Education and building department head Sylvia Weber (SPD) has announced an action plan worth 150 million euros for 2024, with which the most urgent renovations in schools will be carried out and procedures will be established to accelerate renovations.
European school: The results of the investigations into a possible location for the European School on the fairground on Ratsweg are expected to be available in 2024. It’s about traffic, species protection and soil conditions.
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2024-01-05 13:07:50
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