Butzbach: Social City meets Conversion

The town of Butzbach faces a major challenge in its north-west city centre. Here are two areas, which each require quite specific, but also well co-ordinated development: The Degerfeld district has an accumulation of urban planning, housing and social problems. Close by is an area formerly used to house the U.S. Army which must now qualify as an area to be redeveloped for civil use. The town of Butzbach has worked with NH Project City (NH ProjektStadt) from the very start in addressing these urban development challenges. In 2007, NH Project City put forward a development concept for a “Housing Area” and residential zone, which in 2009 led to the inclusion of Degerfelden and parts of the Housing Area in the "Social City" (Soziale Stadt) programme. In 2010 NH Project City prepared an integrated action plan concept for the town, which was unanimously adopted by the Butzbach Town Council in December 2010.

In 2011, the Housing Area was sold to private investors who want to establish the area under the brand "Living at the limit" as a place for new target groups. For Butzbach this offers the opportunity to develop both neighbourhoods in an integrated way, thereby creating a neighbourhood with a new character. There are only few examples nationwide of establishing such a direct connection between the development of a "Social City" and a military conversion.  NH Project City will continue to contribute to this process: Since 2011 they have been commissioned jointly by the Wetterau District Social Outreach Agency as the town District Manager.

Objective
Development of a new district combining the "Social City” urban renewal programme and the conversion of a former U.S. Army Housing Area.

Timeline

• 2007 Development study on the Housing Area and the Degerfeld residential area
• 2008 Implementation of a student competition in the area by NH Project City and the City of Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Architecture (Ernst May-Award 2008)
• 2009 Inclusion of the area in the "Social City" programme
• 2010 Creation of the integrated action plan concept
• 2011 Commissioning of NH Project City (jointly with the Wetterau District Social Outreach Agency) as town District Manager

Location
Butzbach (Wetterau), edge of the city centre.

Scale
40 ha (Social City action area)

Financing
Support from the “Social City" (Soziale Stadt) programme.

Monika Fontaine-Kretschmer
Tel. 069 6069-1473
Fax 069 6069-51473
monika.fontaine-kretschmer@nh-projektstadt.de

Dr. Jürgen Schmitt
Tel. 069 6069-1168
Fax 069 6069-1446
juergen.schmitt@nh-projektstadt.de