As many reasons as there are to love Frankfurt, there are also many things that are critical. The development of the city center is certainly one of them. In short, the quality of stay on the Zeil has noticeably diminished and the pandemic has intensified the negative developments. In addition, long-established stores are also suffering more and more from online retail. The city of Frankfurt has now presented a master plan that takes into account new trends and tendencies and has been christened "ErlebnisCity Frankfurt am Main". On Thursday, May 5, Lord Mayor Peter Feldmann presented this master plan together with the consulting firm Project M, which has been entrusted with its preparation over the past twelve months. It serves the city and district marketing as a basis for the targeted orientation of all future city center activities.
As a key measure from the Tourism 2030 master plan and its consistent implementation, the ErlebnisCity master plan specifically takes a close look at the city center. What makes Frankfurt special? Where are the weak points or obstacles that are currently holding back further development into a "place to be"? What are the city's strengths and special features? The ErlebnisCity Frankfurt am Main master plan takes stock of the status quo of Frankfurt's city center, taking into account existing studies, central trends and influencing factors, determines potentials in a competitive comparison and works out development potentials. In doing so, the master plan takes up impulses from more than 50 experts from politics, administration, chambers, associations, the real estate industry, owners and churches. It shows temporal perspectives in interaction from short - medium and long-term goals in connection with strategic projects and the optimization of structures and processes, with the goal of a "resilient city" and the focus "future city center".
"City center development is a joint task and can always succeed only in the shoulder conclusion of all involved participants", said mayor Feldmann.The master plan shows routes from Gallusanlage, Neue Kräme, Liebfrauenberg, via Opernplatz, Zeil to Konstablerwache and incorporates future user expectations of living space, meeting place, consumer worlds and working space.
"Shops left, stores right, that was once. The downtown of the future is multifunctional. It is a meeting place. You can already see the beginnings of this change. The Momen stands for cultural use, the just started offer 'Nachtschicht Hauptwache' turns the Zeil into a party mile. We want to move away from the city as a functional space. We want a city, which lives and breathes, to which humans feel emotionally attached , add Feldmann.
A crucial role comes according to master plan thereby the city and district marketing under the direction of Eduard M. Singer. In accordance with the coalition agreement, it is to be expanded into city management. The Citymanagement is to be strengthened thereby more independently, the coworker structures and equipped with a suitable budget.
"The challenges to the organization of a futureable city center are enormous. With the further development of city marketing into city management, we are taking a consistent approach. We want to orchestrate and thus make an offer for an overarching cooperation with all relevant stakeholders in the interests of our city center and the city districts," Feldmann emphasizes.
The head of the department for planning, housing and sports, Mike Josef, also welcomes the ErlebnisCity Frankfurt am Main master plan: "To become fit for the future, Frankfurt's city center must above all become more diverse, both in terms of its functions, its residents and also its field of users. Retail alone is not enough," says Josef. "That's why we need to eliminate vacancies, for example, promote gastronomy and cultural uses, and reactivate inner-city space. The master plan can contribute to this."
