Harburg's Karstadt remains empty: delays in the new project!

Harburg's Karstadt remains empty: delays in the new project!

Harburg, Deutschland - In Harburg in Hesse, the former Karstadt building remains unused. Since June 2023, the doors of the once active department store have been empty, which creates a certain unrest in the local population. The first measures to revive the area are no longer long in coming, but are plagued by delays.

The now moved shop windows of the property show a dreary picture: A look into it still reveals the orphaned shelves. Originally, it was planned to start an artistic campaign in spring that was supposed to present 42 lively motifs of iconic places and institutions in Harburg, including the Archaeological Museum and the Technical University of Hamburg. But the implementation was as unexpectedly complicated and dragged on for months.

The challenges of the Harburg show

Antonia Marmon, managing director of Harburg Marketing and initiator of the project, explains the complexity of the matter. A building permit was necessary, which took time in itself. In addition, experts pointed out possible risks; The foiler expressed concerns that sun rays could cause tension cracks in the large windows. Therefore, it was decided to have the motifs printed on banner, a solution that took time, but is now finally in full gear. The banners were recently delivered and are ready for the presentation.

financing and planned opening

The Harburg district has provided considerable 30,000 euros for this beautification campaign. On October 25th, a small opening ceremony is planned, in which the Finance Senator Andreas Dressel is also expected from the SPD. However, this event is only the beginning. The city had previously made use of its right of first refusal and acquired the building at the end of last year.

The political reaction to the delay was consistently critical. Both the SPD and the CDU express resentment about the long emptiness of the building, since this unnecessary vacancy has negative effects on the environment. Frank Richter, co-chair of the SPD parliamentary group Harburg, finds that every month without using the building is bad for the neighborhood. Birgit Stöver from the CDU also sees urgent need for action and finds the planning phases too lengthy. It is hoped that both interim use and the perspectives for a long -term solution are brought forward faster.

The final use of the former Karstadt building is only planned for 2035. This information resulted from a request from Stöver to the Senate in the past month and underlines the long -term perspective that aims at the possible implementation of cultural projects and living space. Next Monday, the topic will be treated again in the urban development committee in Harburg and is therefore the focus of local politics.

Harburg's future should be shaped by new life in the empty halls. Creative concepts are planned that the building not only want to design as a living space, but also as a place of the center of life. So far, the future of the building and the subsequent plans have been strongly discussed. The continuing delays raise questions that affect the people in the region. Further information on the developments on this topic are on www.ndr.de to be found.