The Empira Group, a leading investment manager in the DACH region, is developing the “Die Welle” neighbourhood in Cologne-Marienburg. The quarter was originally developed as part of a joint venture between Empira, BAUWENS and Wohnkompanie NRW.
“The acquisition of the neighbourhood development is an ideal fit for our strategy. We are planning to create an attractive and vibrant cosmopolitan quarter offering a diverse mix of flats and commercial premises. We intend to keep the rental flats in our portfolio for the long term. The quarter will also be developed in adherence to high sustainability and ESG criteria,” explains Lahcen Knapp, Chairman of the Empira Group Board of Directors. In contrast to the previous plans, only rental flats are to be built there. Construction is scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2023, with completion of the individual construction phases planned from 2025.
“In the new quarter, the future trends of sustainability, quality of life, digitalisation, mixing of living, working, playing and green spaces will be implemented in the best possible way for the benefit of the residents, the city and the climate,” explains Knapp. The end result will be a vibrant and car-free neighbourhood featuring green inner courtyards, flat roofs and children’s playgrounds. The buildings will be constructed according to KFW Standard 40 NH and therefore will be highly energy efficient. In addition, car-sharing services and charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and pedelecs are planned. Photovoltaic systems on the roofs will generate additional electricity for the basic supply of electric mobility. The quarter will be certified in accordance with the DGNB Gold Standard for sustainable buildings, therebymeeting the highest standards in the areas of ecology, technology and location. In addition, socio-cultural and functional aspects, such as indoor air quality and acoustic comfort, will also be taken into consideration in the certification. Seventy flats within the existing building will be publicly subsidised.
The 52,600 square metre site is the former headquarters of Deutsche Welle and is home to office space. The project is divided into eight construction phases and a total of more than 60,000 square metres of rental housing is planned. In addition, there will be approximately 9,800 square metres of commercial space as well as a day-care centre with 1,200 square metres of space. Furthermore, over 700 underground parking spaces are intended. Cologne’s main railway station can be reached within 15 minutes and Cologne-Bonn Airport within 18 minutes. A new tram stop is also planned for the immediate vicinity. Within a radius of just a few hundred metres there are several bus stops, local amenities, school and medical facilities as well as green spaces.
