City of Cologne chooses a new location for fire station on the Severinsbrücke!

City of Cologne chooses a new location for fire station on the Severinsbrücke!

Köln, Deutschland - in Cologne, the discussion about the fire station inner city is bubbling: While the new building is in full swing at the previous address at the north-south trip, the city board has now agreed on a new interim location on the Severinsbrücke. According to ksta.de should be temporarily accompanied by Löwengasse. The city council's property committee will come together on June 16 to conclude contracts for the use of the property.

This decision also brings light into the dark of the previous plans. The old Kaufhof headquarters on Leonhard-Tatetz-Straße was once discussed as an interim solution, but this project appears more unrealistic than ever. The city administration has now given up the project because the conversion costs are assessed as too high. The vacancies in the Kaufhof headquarters are only 150 meters away from the existing fire station, but the effort for the renovation was too high for those responsible. roundschau-online.de reports that the search for a new alternative quarters is now starting again.

challenges with the Kaufhof headquarters

The city has been in negotiations on the conversion measures for two years with the property owner, Swiss Life Asset Managers Germany. So far it has been noted: neither the planned community center nor offices have been obtained; The interim for the fire and rescue station I was discontinued. The head of construction Markus Greitemann faces criticism from the ranks of the Greens and the SPD. The decision about the fire station in the light of the lack of progress in the Kaufhof headquarters seems like another miscarriage.

The existing fire station, built in 1962 for 59 emergency services, is now heavily overcrowded with over 160 emergency services. No wonder that a new building is urgently needed. After all, the city has contractually committed itself to renting the Kaufhof headquarters by 2045-a rent of 12.3 million euros annually, which will be due from the end of 2026. In view of the payments already made of around 310 million euros by 2050, the question arises whether the city should not have striving for a better solution here.

if the green is supposed to disappear

Another sticking point is the planned container guard in the Max-Dietlein-Park, which is faced with resistance from the neighborhood. Many citizens: Inside, fear that this guard will be regarded as not portable in one of the last inner -city green areas. The decision on the new location on Löwengasse could dig up the water on Löwengasse - however, it remains to be seen how the city council will decide on July 3.

The Cologne fire brigade is of crucial importance for the city's safety. In 2023 she recorded a total of 17,175 missions, 4,131 of which were carried out by the inner city guard. A central location is not only important, but also essential, especially at major events in the city. While the search for the ideal interim location continues, the hope that the planning of the new building will be as smoothly.