New hotel on Breite Straße: Galeria becomes a hotspot in Cologne!

New hotel on Breite Straße: Galeria becomes a hotspot in Cologne!

Something is happening on Breite Straße in Cologne: The owner Aroundtown has revised its renovation plans for the previous Galeria branch at numbers 103 to 135. Instead of a completely new building, which was originally planned, the new strategy aims at a comprehensive renovation of the existing building. The historic facades from 1911 to 1914 will be retained, which further underlines the charm of the district. This is reported by the Cologne City Gazette.

The new plans include a partial dismantling and an extension of the building. In the future, the commercial areas will be limited to the ground floor and part of the first floor, while the upper floors are earmarked for a new hotel. Dining options and fitness areas are also planned on the fifth and sixth floors. A small inner courtyard and green spaces will also be created, which will benefit the urban climate on Breite Straße.

The closure of the Galeria branch

The Galeria branch, which has been operating at this location since 1963 and now operates as the Galeria department store, is currently set to close on August 31st. This measure could offer the branch on Hohe Strasse planning security, while the city's head of economic affairs, Andree Haack, emphasizes that urgent investments are needed in the building, as extensive renovation work has been repeatedly postponed.

Although the closure is worrying, the Galeria chain recently emphasized that it is in constant communication with the landlord and is looking for long-term solutions. A Galeria spokeswoman informed that the rent could be reduced significantly and now only accounts for 8 to 9 percent of sales. These adjustments are essential to ensure the survival of the branch, which is one of the last three remaining in Cologne.

Preliminary construction inquiries and future perspectives

Aroundtown submitted a preliminary construction request in February 2023 to clarify the legal framework for the project. This request included partial dismantling, conversion and extension as well as the planned use for sales, accommodation, catering and fitness. Interestingly, the first preliminary building request in June 2021 was even more radical, as it called for a complete demolition of the existing Karstadt building, which the city administration rejected in the context of monument protection.

With a property area of ​​more than 3,000 square meters, directly opposite the popular “Globetrotter” department store, the location offers great potential for innovative usage concepts. An architectural firm from Berlin had already presented designs for a combination of hotel, apartments, offices and retail space on the ground floor in 2022, which underlines the versatility of the project.

The city administration has now classified the new plans as permissible, and the political committees are committed to maintaining a department store at this central location. This is likely to be important not only for the immediate surroundings, but also for overall shopping behavior in Cologne city center.

In summary, Breite Straße is facing profound changes that will bring both new opportunities and challenges. In a city that is constantly changing, Aroundtown's measures show that it has a good knack for preserving the historical substance while at the same time developing future-oriented solutions for the city center. The coming months will show what forms the changes will take and how they will affect the Cologne population.