New jobs through conversion of an abattoir
(Hamburg)
Photography: R. Dorrendorf
The “Alte Rinderschlachthalle” (old cattle abattoir) built in 1911 is part of the historic building complex of the old Hamburg abattoir under monument protection. It is directly next to the central meat market and the fair and congress centre in the St. Pauli urban district.
In earlier times, the abattoir constituted an impermeable barrier between the neighbourhoods Schanzenviertel and Karolinenviertel. Both neighbourhoods are densely populated inner city neighbourhoods with a high percentage of people receiving supplementary benefits and unemployed people. Because of a loss of attractiveness in the housing stock, the small trade and retail shops experienced the migration of higher income levels.
Since 1994, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg has pursued the bundling of social, employment and economic policy measures in a neighbourhood-oriented, integrated approach as part of its urban development concept in St. Pauli. This made a gentle upward trend possible.
Photography: © Archimage, Meike Hansen
Taking into consideration the concerns of historic monument conservation, the 80m “Alte Rinderschlachthalle” was converted into a new commercial property with 5,700m² floor space between 1997 and 1998. Today it accommodates a business start-up project, an urban district office and event rooms, gastronomy, shops, offices and artistic-therapeutic facilities.
The Stadterneuerungs- und Stadtentwicklungsgesellschaft Hamburg mbH (STEG) (Urban Renewal and Urban Development Corporation Hamburg) carried out this conversion measure for approx. 6.7 m euros as the fiduciary conversion executing organisation of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. The conversion was financed almost completely privately. Only the business start-up project was subsidised with an investment grant of 430,000 euros from public urban renewal funds.
The business start-up centre, “Etage 21”, functions as an “incubator” for mobilisation and stabilisation processes in the urban district. The initiative is supported by STEG. Founders of a new business from the neighbourhood or its surrounding area are accommodated preferentially. Companies with no relation to the neighbourhood are selected according to possible synergy effects in order to generate positive impacts for the urban district.
The concept of Etage 21 is based on a small-scale, cost-effective range of rooms (10 to 55 m²), the possibility of sharing the existing infrastructure and profiting from services such as the “Gründerzirkel” (founders’ circle) or the “Gründerbrunch” (founders’ brunch) of the associated “Gründer-Info St. Pauli” (Information for founders St. Pauli). “Claim - Die Zeitung für Existenzgründungen” (Claim -The magazine for business start-ups) is issued quarterly, which also mediates information events, professional support and contacts.
With the “Schlumpers”, there is an artistic-therapeutic facility in the “Alte Rinderschlachthalle”. There they run a studio, an exhibition room, space for events and a café. These are open to visitor groups and with this enliven the building. STEG continues to maintain an urban district office with consultation hours in which e.g. the public meetings of the redevelopment advisory council for the neighbourhood Karolinenviertel are held.
A supplementary building on the free space was initiated by the successful business start-up concept. On 1st January 2006, KAROSTAR Musikhaus (music house) opened in Hamburg St. Pauli. KAROSTAR was built in only one year.
On 2,500m² gross floor area, the property has 33 offices between 15 and 90m² and a conference room with technical service equipment. On the ground floor, there are three recording studios and four shops. A space with a stage has emerged between the existing and the new building. Here, events can take place, from flea markets and film nights to live concerts. Underneath the new buildings and the sqaure, there is an underground car park with 87 parking spaces.
90 percent of the space is allocated to young companies from the music industry who are allowed to have been on the market for a maximum of two years when they move in. The rent for the offices is between 5.50 and 6.50 euros net rent excluding supplementary costs, the rent for shops is around 9 euros. The contract for every area can be terminated by the tenants to the end of the month. At the time point of completion, almost 90 percent of the space was already rented out.
The new centre for young businesses in the music industry with offices, shops and studios was erected with an investment sum of 5.4 m euros from the Stadterneuerungs- und Stadtentwicklungsgesellschaft Hamburg mbH (STEG) (Urban Renewal and Urban Development Corporation Hamburg). The project was supported with 1 m euros each from the European Union (EFRE Programme) and the Office for Economics and Employment.
With the project, the structural change of the Hamburg music industry - towards smaller, more flexible companies - and the music location St. Pauli were supported. STEG rounded off the urban development and economic renewal of the neighbourhood Karolinenviertel at the same time. The disadvantaged urban district has developed into a popular living area and trendy neighbourhood for fashion, media and music.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1997 to 1998 | Conversion of the “Alte Rinderschlachthalle” (old cattle abattoir) |
| January 1998 | Opening of "Etage 21" |
| 1998 | Setting up of "Gründer-Info St.Pauli" (Information for founders St. Pauli) |
| 1998 | Relocation of the painters "Schlumpers" into the Alte Rinderschlachthalle |
| 2000 to 2002 | Supplementary new buildings: shop and studio space |
| 2003 | Architectural competition for a supplementary building: music centre for business start-ups and young companies |
| 2006 | Completion of the supplementary building: Karostar Musikhaus St. Pauli (house for founders and companies from the music industry) |
Photography: © Archimage, Meike Hansen
Source: STEG mbH
Photography: © Archimage, Meike Hansen
With this project “Alter Schlachthof”, the social and economic revitalisation, the opening of the former abattoir area and the urban spatial connection of two urban districts are realised. The measure promotes employment and the founding of businesses and symbolises the upward trend of the urban district St. Pauli.
The projekt site ist to be found at postal code: 20357 - town: Hamburg - street: Neuer Kamp 32.
Record inserted on 01.10.2003 by Lehrstuhl für Planungstheorie und Stadtplanung, RWTH Aachen and updated by theFederal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) within the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR).
Last update: 20.08.2008
