What should happen to temporarily unused or unfinished construction areas while creative minds are desperately seeking affordable space at the same time? The answer is increasingly: controlled interim use.
A property in the portfolio of Swiss Life Asset Managers in Germany serves as a prime example of successful interim use. It is a four-storey printing plant on the site of the “Höflich” new-build project in Frankfurt.
On a plot of around 2100 m2, very close to the city centre, 29 apartments and two commercial units are to be built on this site on Eschersheimer Landstrasse, one of Frankfurt’s major access and arterial roads, offering top residential quality with high-spec fittings.
A vacant plot becomes living space
After the purchase of the property, the printing plant continued to operate for some time. However, after the printers moved out and during the time between the initial project concept and the building permit, i.e. for about two years, the idea was for the plot to continue to be used. As a result, various subletting concepts were considered. Some offers for interim use were examined (including from well-known institutions such as the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts, HfMDK). Contacts were then established through personal connections with various organisations with previous experience of temporary use arrangements in other locations.
This led to the idea of creating the social and artistic collective Massif Central so as to create a vibrant space on the property in the heart of Frankfurt. On the spacious ground floor, the Massif Central comprised a café, event venue, office space, a restaurant and a bicycle workshop, making it a convivial public meeting place. There was also plenty of activity on the other floors: a well-known Frankfurt fashion entrepreneur moved in on the first floor, offices were set up on the second floor and rented out to, among others, a well-known Frankfurt-based photographer, and a private restaurant and a distributor of designer furniture set up shop on the third floor.
In addition to commercial use, the property also served as a venue for creative and political events, such as the presentation of the mayoral candidates during the last mayoral election or corporate events from the creative scene and banking industry. Sporting events such as the broadcast of the European Cup matches of the local Eintracht football team were also held.
The lease with Massif Central was limited from the outset but was then extended for a few months due to the excellent cooperation. In the meantime, Massif Central has moved to the Bethmannhof, where it can continue to build on its success. This summer, the collective could once again use the “Höflich” site for new events.
Swiss Life Asset Managers was thus able to offer Massif Central a home during its set-up phase and to act as a catalyst for the initiators of a now-established business idea in Frankfurt. Finally, the positive response from the public should also be emphasised, as authorities and the press are showing great interest in this form of temporary use in view of the current decline in the retail sector.
