An important step on the way to the cultural mile
Municipal theaters: Lord Mayor Josef and Head of Cultural Affairs Hartwig present framework agreement with Helaba and Frankfurter Sparkasse
"The planned new building for the Frankfurter Schauspiel in Neue Mainzer Straße and thus the development of a new cultural mile has taken an important step forward," reported Lord Mayor Mike Josef and Head of Cultural Affairs Ina Hartwig on Wednesday, 10. July. With a framework agreement between the City of Frankfurt, Helaba Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen and Frankfurter Sparkasse, the complex details for the property in Neue Mainzer Straße have been further negotiated. The negotiations are based on the "Memorandum of Understanding" signed in summer 2023 for the Kulturmeile with a term until July 31, 2024.
The plans for the Kulturmeile envisage that the theater on Neue Mainzer Straße will be built by the City of Frankfurt on a plot of around 5500 square meters. In addition, building rights for a new high-rise building of up to 175 meters in height are to be created next to the theatre. The city council will decide on the corresponding changes to the current development plan. The two buildings are not dependent on each other, neither in terms of construction nor operation; the site of the former Sparkasse site will be divided. An optimal positioning of the buildings is to be found in the further planning process. To this end, the framework agreement formulates the objective that both projects should be oriented towards each other in order to create a square that is as lively as possible. A new common center is to be created between the venue and the high-rise building, which will also connect Neue Mainzer Strasse and the Wallanlage. New green and open spaces will be created around the new buildings. There will be no intervention in the ramparts.
The framework agreement, which was drawn up after intensive negotiations, includes a draft leasehold contract with a term of 199 years to ensure a long-term perspective for the Schauspielhaus on the site in Neue Mainzer Straße. In addition, a new payment model was developed: The leasehold is to be remunerated with a one-off payment of 210 million euros. In contrast, the memorandum of understanding had provided for a one-off payment of 35 million euros and annual payments of 1.99 million euros over a term of 199 years. As is usual for projects of this size, the agreement is to be submitted to the EU Commission for approval. The city, Sparkasse and Helaba have agreed on this.
"We see light at the end of the tunnel. I think this framework agreement is a great opportunity to further develop our city center and create a new cultural highlight. It is a unique opportunity that we should seize. The resulting cultural mile will define an urban space that will enrich the city center and far beyond for generations to come. I would like to thank everyone involved for the trusting discussions," says Lord Mayor Josef.
Head of Culture and Science Hartwig continues: "We have fulfilled our mandate and done everything we can to ensure that the city councillors have the opportunity to make a final decision on the location of the theatre. We will submit a proposal for this in the near future. The figures for this are now on the table."
Thomas Groß, CEO of Helaba, said of the framework agreement: "We are delighted to be able to work with the city to significantly advance Frankfurt as a cultural location in the long term and to have agreed a solution with the city that is financially satisfactory for us."
Frankfurter Sparkasse recently announced the relocation of its headquarters to the Hauptwache, paving the way for the implementation of the cultural mile. "Now that we have secured Hauptwache 1 as an attractive, future-oriented location in the heart of the city, the framework agreement enables us to optimally develop the area in Neue Mainzer Straße in the future", says the Chairman of the Management Board of Frankfurter Sparkasse, Dr. Ingo Wiedemeier. Ingo Wiedemeier.
The framework agreement drawn up together with Helaba and Sparkasse integrates other associated contracts, such as the draft leasehold contract. In the next step, it will be submitted to the city councillors for approval. Once the city councillors and the committees of Helaba and Frankfurter Sparkasse have given their approval, both the agreement can be signed and the architectural competition for the theater can be launched. Preparations for this are already in full swing.
In December last year, the city council instructed the magistrate to continue negotiations on a leasehold agreement for the theater with the owner of the Sparkasse site on Neue Mainzer Strasse. The new building for the Frankfurt Opera is planned for Willy-Brandt-Platz on its own land. The plans envisage a large number of cultural institutions lining up along the ramparts like a string of pearls, starting with the Jewish Museum Frankfurt, the Frankfurt Opera, the Comedy, the English Theatre, the MMK Tower, the branch of the Weltkulturen Museum and finally the Alte Oper Frankfurt. The new theater is located roughly in the middle. "This high-quality cultural use revitalizes the city center, especially at this location, and enhances the banking district, which is dominated by offices, into a future-oriented, lively and attractive city centre with more greenery," concluded Lord Mayor Josef and Head of Cultural Affairs Hartwig.
