A modern residential park with 40 condominiums is being built on the site of the former Hohl barracks in Idar-Oberstein. Last Friday saw the official start of construction for the project. Investor Jörg Haferkorn and Lord Mayor Frank Frühauf sank a time capsule in the 'foundation stone' of the residential complex, which is called 'The Blick' because of the future panoramic view over the Oberstein district with the Felsenkirche church and Oberstein Castle.
The former Hohl barracks stood empty for more than 20 years and "was no longer a pretty sight", as Frühauf noted in his speech. He was therefore delighted that Jörg Haferkorn's commitment had brought the site back to life. Investors like him are important for rural towns like Idar-Oberstein, emphasized the mayor, "because the opportunities for a municipality to implement such projects itself are not available." Thanks to the investor's initiative, an idyllic residential complex with a fantastic view over the town is now being built on the site. "It was therefore not surprising that this project was also received with enthusiasm by the city council." Frühauf also emphasized that the tens of millions invested in the project will remain local. This is because the companies carrying out the work are all from the region. The Lord Mayor thanked Jörg Haferkorn for his initiative and wished the project every success.
Jörg Haferkorn presented the planned project to the guests in a PowerPoint presentation. A total of 40 apartments of various sizes, including penthouses with roof terraces, will be built in the four-building residential park. The low-barrier apartments will have upscale fittings with underfloor heating, floor-to-ceiling windows and modern fitted kitchens. The refurbishment will turn the buildings into KfW Efficiency Houses with heat pumps and PV systems. The residential park is rounded off by an attractive pond landscape with seating and relaxation areas. The investor has brought two partners on board to realize the project: Georg Baier is responsible for sales and Jasker Harm for controlling and marketing.
He often hears people say that everything used to be better in Idar-Oberstein, said Jörg Haferkorn. He sees things differently: "Idar-Oberstein is a city that is changing with the times. I want to make a contribution to a positive change in the city of Idar-Oberstein." A period of two to three years is planned for the implementation of the overall project. However, the apartments in the first renovated building will be ready for occupancy sooner. The project is being planned and supervised by Idar-Oberstein architect Jost Schneider. Incidentally, his grandfather planned and supervised the construction of the Hohl barracks in the 1920s, as Jörg Haferkorn reported.
Dirk Thomé, the technical manager of the municipal building department, brought the building permit, which was completed on time, to the foundation stone ceremony so that the project could officially begin. He emphasized that this was issued within just ten weeks of the building application being submitted. "All those involved - architects and engineers, authorities and the responsible employees of the municipal building authority and the municipal utilities - contributed their creative ideas and expertise in order to realize this in such a short time." With the handover of the 'red dot', the building permit has been issued and "we wish the construction project every success.
Jörg Haferkorn and Lord Mayor Frank Frühauf then sank a time capsule in the 'foundation stone' of The Blick. In addition to the current daily newspaper, this contains a USB stick with all the plans for the residential park.
- More information will be available soon at www.the-blick.de. However, the website has not yet been activated.