Hohr’s proposal contains the following details: he will waive the contractually agreed remediation of contaminated sites in the ground of the second and third building phases, as a result of which he says the city can save more than ten million Euros. In return, the city will transfer to him free of charge the adjoining piece of land north of the Rhein-Palais at the corner of Joseph-Schumpeter-Allee and Carl-Duwe-Straße.

The investor wants to build his high-rise project “Rhein-Palais-Sunnyside-Tower” – an office tower with 25 levels - on the almost 10,000 square metre site at Bonner Bogen. He also wants to build a daycare centre on the site for office workers’ offspring.

“Discussion with the Lord Mayor went well”

“The discussion with the Lord Mayor went well. Mr Sridharan seemed very interested. He told me to submit a preliminary building application to the city. I will now do that,” Hohr told the GA. Responding to questions, Sridharan said on Tuesday: “There is no development plan for the area, so Mr Hohr must submit an application for the establishment of a project-based development plan, which he probably plans to do. The political bodies will then discuss and decide on this.”

He wants to put up the tower, which according to Hohr would cost more than 80 million Euros, immediately after the third construction phase of the Rhein-Palais. The tower is expected to be ready for occupancy in 2024. If the building costs of around 200 million Euros for the Rhine-Palais are added, Hohr will have invested about 280 millions Euros in Bonn.

Should the city get involved in this deal, what would then happen to landfill site in the soil of the former cement factory? “Instead of rehabilitation by the city, we would then place 1400 cement foundation piles in the ground and put our foundation slabs for the office buildings on them,” explains Hohr.

Advantages for both sides

According to his employees’ latest calculations, the remediation of the substantial landfill including the subsequent compacting of the soil, could cost up to 20 million Euros. Hohr says that the city must bear these costs. The current status of negotiations is that the city is letting an expert examine the statement of costs.

“I considered for a long time whether I should make this proposal to the city of Bonn. However, I am convinced that my idea only has advantages for both sides. The city would save a lot of money. And I would save time and could finally build on construction phases two and three,” said Hohr. He also identified a further advantage for Bonn: “The land on which I want to build the tower is almost unusable for the city because there is a gas pipeline in the ground, which actually makes the site undevelopable.” Should he receive the site in the swap with the city, he would have the estimated two million Euro gas pipeline relaid at his own expense.

Original text: Holger Willke. Translation: kc