Frankfurt/Offenbach, Germany
Thanks to the following partners: City of Frankfurt: Olaf Cunitz, Deputy Mayor, Stadt Frankfurt am Main Ulrike Gaube, Stadt Frankfurt am Main Ulrich Kriwall, Stadt Frankfurt am Main City of Offenbach: Horst Schneider, Lord Mayor, Stadt Offenbach am Main Markus Eichberger, Stadt Offenbach am Main Matthias Seiler, Stadt Offenbach am Main and supporters: 2
About the Urban Land Institute The mission of the Urban Land Institute is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. ULI is a membership organization with more than 34,000 members worldwide representing the spectrum of real estate development, land use planning, and financial disciplines, working in private enterprise and public service. What the Urban Land Institute does: Conducts research Provides a forum for sharing of best practices Writes, edits, and publishes books and magazines Organizes and conducts meetings Directs outreach programs Conducts Advisory Services Panels 3
The Advisory Services Program Since 1947 15-20 panels a year on a variety of land use subjects Provides independent, objective candid advice on important land use and real estate issues Process Review background materials Receive a sponsor presentation and tour Conduct stakeholder interviews Consider data, frame issues, and write recommendations Make presentation Produce a final report. 4
The Panel Bill Kistler, Kistler & Company, London, United Kingdom (Panel Chair) Tim-Philipp Brendel, Dipl.-Ing. Architekt AKHH, ZT, be Hamburg GmbH, Hamburg, Germany Christopher Choa, AECOM, London, United Kingdom Rui Coelho, Invest Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal Bernhard Hansen, Chairman of the Advisory Board, ULI Germany, Frankfurt, Germany Alan Razak, AthenianRazak LLC, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Sebastian Reich, Sebastian Reich Consult GmbH, RKDS & Partners, Dietzenbach, Germany Trini Rodriguez, Parker Rodriguez, Inc., Alexandria, Virginia, USA Christiane Thalgott, Stadtbaurätin München I.R., Munich, Germany Bob van der Zande, Development Corporation City of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands 5
Panel Assignment and Overview How can Offenbach and Frankfurt better collaborate and work for a shared goal of developing new residential and commercial areas? Asked to address six major issues: Synergies and opportunities Growth Strategy Integration Connection Attraction 6
Agenda Panel assignment and overview 1 why global context, local analysis & assessment 2 what urban characteristics 3 how drivers, proposals, delivery 7
Agenda Panel assignment and overview 1 WHY global context, local analysis & assessment 2 what urban characteristics 3 how drivers, proposals, delivery 8
1 WHY urbanization and globalization / the rise of City-Regions / trade + exchange / interdependence of hubs Frankfurt/Offenbach Risk? Resilience? 9
1 WHY empires nations cities shifting center of global GDP 10
1 WHY global cities 11
1 WHY Economist 2025 Global Cities Index 12
1 WHY A. T. Kerney Global Cities Index / 2012 13
Panel assignment and overview 1 why global context, local analysis & assessment 2 WHAT urban characteristics 3 how drivers, proposals, delivery 14
2 WHAT Identity Assets Connections Environment 15
2 WHAT Identity Comparison Frankfurt financial services corporate educated professional mature generous (philanthropy) diverse organized refined connected (transport) denser top down Offenbach industrial legacy small business creative entrepreneurial youthful generous (remittance) multi-cultural spontaneous authentic isolated looser bottom up 16
2 WHAT Housing Retail Recreation Higher Education Assets Industrial Infrastructure Available Property Culture 17
2 WHAT Opportunities Housing Affordable Varied Stock & Typology Conversion potential Commercial Affordable Attracts Creative and Innovative Adaptive Reuse Potential Retail Historic Character of Wilhelmsplatz New Place Making Uses (Cafe, Restaurants) Leverage Ethnic Variety Industrial Potential Repurpose of Existing Structures Reuse Vacant Land (Chemical Plant, Railroad Tracks) Higher Education School of Arts &Design Expansion & Unification Attract New Institutions & Creation of Education Node. Cultural Life Museum Expansion Special Events Infrastructure Tram Extension Create Loop and Linkages to Fechenheim Public Space & Recreation Assets Reconfigure Marktplatz and introducef Green Spaces Larger Program Offering Regional Linkages Constraints Airport Noise Regulations Cost of Bringing to Code Weak Demand Obsolete Structures Older and Low Quality Retail Limited offering Not a 24 Hour Place Cost of Repurposing Cost of Remediation Cost of Relocation Institutional Cooperation Operational Funding Cost of Expansion & Relocation Fare Structure Right of Way Availability Low Frequency of Trains Cost and Programming Existing Typologies 18
2 WHAT East West Connections North South Connections Water Taxi Connections Riverfront Tramway Offenbach Airport Connection High Speed Internet 19
2 WHAT North South Connections East West Connections Opportunities Connections Add New North/South Connections Increase Pedestrian and Cycle Linkages Constraints Financing Costs Strengthen Tramway Lines Reallocation of dedicated right of way Tramway Extension Create Loop Cost of Bridging River Südbahnhof Airport Connection Southern S-Bahn Link Airport and Offenbach Increase ICE Frequency at Südbahnhof Relieve Congestion at Existing City Tunnel Use Existing Tracks River Frontage Enhance Pedestrian and Cycle Link of FOF Create Regional Trail System Coordinate with DB & RMV Physical obstacles and conflicted uses on riverfront Water Transport Water Taxi Transfers at Locks IT Leverage Existing Internet Infrastructure Attracting Talent to Exploit this Asset 20
2 WHAT Bridge Connections (Car & Ped) 8 Bridge Connections 1 Bridge Connection 1 Proposed New Bridge Connection 21
2 WHAT Waterway and Waterfront Parks and Recreation Floodplain Area Environment Special Farmland Reuse Greenbelt Link Brownfield 22
2 WHAT Opportunities Environment Constraints Waterfront Increase Recreation Offering Special Events & Venues Floodplains Potential Recreation Uses Environmental Benefits Special Events Greenbelt Linkages Waterway Canoeing, Rowing Water Taxi Tours & Rides Special Farm Land Recreation Areas Greenbelt linkages Existing Farms Not Financially Viable Brownfields New Inventory of Available Land for Residential or Commercial Uses Reuse by Other Viable Industrial Facilities Power Plant Integrate Power Plant Area in a More Friendly and Open Fashion Greenbelt Complete Missing Frankfurt Greenbelt Link Use Disconnected Floodplain and Waterfront Areas Current Uses (Power plant, Parking) No Permanent Structures Permitted Locks Privately Owned Area Transition not clear Remediation Costs Power Plant Owner Cooperation Possible Remediation Costs 23
2 WHAT The Green Ring 24
Agenda Panel assignment and overview 1 why global context, local analysis & assessment 2 what urban characteristics 3 HOW drivers, proposals, delivery 25
3HOW Attract Talent and Investment Entrepreneurial & Innovation Ecosystem Vibrant Urban & Cultural life Affordable Housing Investment Opportunities Strong Coalitions 26
3HOW Importance of Talent Talent Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Development, Wealth, Solutions 27
3HOW Entrepreneurial and Innovation Ecosystem Build the Ecosystem taking advantage of the existing: Creative energy in Offenbach (creative district) Frankfurt Finance Cluster Power House Improve Education Locate satellite of University of Applied Science in OF Invest in education & training for computer programming Establish a network to promote a state of the art Global Business Incubator Build a Seed & Venture Capital Cluster Provide capital, advice, and offices in exchange for equity Connect to the Ecosystem Prevent future irrelevance and profit from investing in the next big thing Promote the real economy and improve reputation of financial sector 28
3HOW Vibrant Urban & Cultural Life Take advantage of existing creative heroes and initiatives in OF Create a platform for discussion and joint activities Locate it in an empty building in Kaiserlei as a form of placemaking and nominate a curator to organize it Facilitate reuse of empty factories for creative hubs Promote Pop-Up and temporary use of public space and private buildings for events Promote creation of an urban beach, a green park, and riverfront leisure area in Offenbach 29
3HOW Affordable Housing Housing costs are increasing; pricing out Millennials Average housing production of 2,500 units/year New residential development locations Mixed use, increased density Urban Living Projects Regenerate vacant buildings Temporary use as live/work spaces Possible to create +1,000 units/year Capital searching for product Investors accept programs that include affordable housing 30
3HOW Investment Opportunities Create transparency and trust for investors Establish a public databank and map to communicate where developments are underway and investment is needed Initiate a yearly event to meet and greet investors and developers and highlight the best projects Design flexible legal regulations and zoning plans 31
3HOW Strong Coalitions, Effective Cooperation Install an Economic Board Global City: Frankfurt-Offenbach: Both cities All universities Two Chambers of Commerce Business leaders and sponsors like Helaba Bank, Fraport and Messe Frankfurt Design a strategic development framework in order to Diversify economic development Private partner s Anticipate on demographic changes and implications Align investment Knowledg e institutes Public administration 32
3HOW Change is necessary/possible. Specific and visible. Frankfurt area is limited. Needs eastward expansion. HOW / drivers, proposals, delivery 33
3HOW 34
Industry F Center EZB 7-Kräuter Park 7- MainHőhe Greenbelt Industry 35
3HOW Governance Structure, 36
3HOW Funding Strategies HOW / drivers, proposals, delivery Entwicklungsmassnahme Start-up finance and capital by the two cities Land transfer Federal and state development schemes Compensation measures Services for interim usages Sale of ground 37
3HOW Catalytic Projects 1. Offenbach-Südbahnhof-Airport connection 2. North/South Tramway Loop (Fechenheim/Offenbach/Oberrad 3. 7-Kräuter Park 4. Education/Innovation/Entrepreneurship initiative 38
3HOW Catalytic Projects 1. Krautergarten Urban Park 2. Education/Innovation/Entrepreurship initiative Offenbach-Südbahnhof-Airport connection North/South Tramway Loop (Fechenheim/Offenbach/Oberrad) 39
3HOW Catalytic Projects 1. Krautergarten Urban Park 2. Education/Innovation/Entrepreurship initiative 3. Offenbach-SuedBahnhof-Airport connection North/South Tramway Loop (Fechenheim/Offenbach/Oberrad) 40
3HOW Short-term Actions HOW delivery Combine F and OF maps and tourist info / drivers, proposals, Pop-up Rationalize parking at OF waterfront One year training visas for graduating students Water taxis 41
3HOW Short-term Actions HOW delivery Single-tariff S-Bahn City marketing / drivers, proposals, Branding Promote gastro scene Promote Wilhelmplatz Market Investment opportunities map 42
3HOW 43
Thank you to Frank Achenbach l Ilona Andres l Rainer Ballwanz l Ulf Bambach l Oliver Bauer l Petra Baumgardt l Udo Bausch l Uwe Becker l Christian Becker l Klaus Beine l Dr. Gabriela Bloem l Gabriele Bottel l Liomi Brautmann l Peter Cachola-Schmal l Thomas Dorant l Herrmann Dorenburg l Prof. Wolfgang Dunkelau l Thomas Dries l Markus Eichberger l Ju rgen Engel l Hajo Fischer l Nicole Franken l Chirstine Freeman l Ulrike Gaube l Claudia Gotz l Christoph Gröner l Guido Gross l Prof. Holger Hagge l Oliver Hein l Jens Herbert l Antje Herbst l Jan Hofmeister l Katja Imhof l Florian Ismaier l Franco Jakobskru ger l Klaus-Peter Kemper l Jan Klingelhöfer l Bernd Kracke l Ingo Kreisinger l Ulrich Kriwall l Florian Leiss l Barbara Levi-Walch l Wolfang Malik l Frederike Martin l Luigi Masala l Daniela Matha l Ulrich Mattner l Sonja Moers l Michael Müller l Matthias Naumann l Frank Nickel l Felix Nowak l Martin Oster l Bodo Pfaff-Greiffenhagen l Lutz Raetting l Daniel Reichwein l Fabian Riemschneider l Ian Schaw l Rainer Schecker l Prof. Ulrich Scheffler l Peter Schneider l Dr. Matthias Schulze-Böing l Werner Seibert l Markus Seliger l Ian Shaw l Birgit Simon l Stefan Soltek l Jörg Stellmacher-Hein l Dr. Getrud Traud l Christian Uslular-Thiele l Martin Vaché l Kai Vöckler l Elke von Busekist l Anette von Zitzewitz l Uwe Wahl l Thomas Warnecke l Arne Wegner l Andrea Weiss l Marc P. Werner l Rainer Wrenger l Christian Zilly And everyone else! 44