Topping-out Ceremony: ecoPARK Gelsenkirchen Is Ahead of Its Time
Gelsenkirchen, February 26. ecoPARK Gelsenkirchen is ahead of its time—even when it comes to construction. The topping-out ceremony for this exceptionally sustainable business and multi-tenant commercial park, which ecoPARKS GmbH is developing on a portion of the former Schalke club grounds, was held earlier than planned. While full completion is scheduled for the third quarter of this year, the space will likely be available to potential tenants as early as May. In total, a new, divisible industrial building and modern office spaces are being constructed on approximately 15,800 square meters of gross floor area.
Gelsenkirchen, February 26. ecoPARK Gelsenkirchen is ahead of its time—even when it comes to construction. The topping-out ceremony for this exceptionally sustainable business and multi-tenant commercial park—which ecoPARKS GmbH is developing on a portion of the former Schalke club grounds—was celebrated earlier than planned. While full completion is scheduled for the third quarter of this year, the space will likely be available to potential tenants as early as May. In total, a new, divisible warehouse building and modern office spaces are being constructed on approximately 15,800 square meters of gross floor area.
The project is being carried out in partnership with AEW, one of the world’s leading real estate investment and asset managers. Like ecoPARKS GmbH, AEW is convinced of the site’s potential and has acquired the approximately 27,000 m² property, including the project development, from ecoPARKS. “The ecoPARK Gelsenkirchen is ahead of its time not only because it is being built using particularly sustainable construction methods but also because it can be operated in a climate-neutral manner,” says Jörg Kunz, managing partner at ecoPARKS. “With its excellent location between the A40 and A42 highways—close to downtown and in the heart of the Ruhrgebiet—it offers many advantages for businesses.”
Gelsenkirchen’s mayor is also convinced of this: “I am very pleased that a former problem site at this location is now being transformed into a sustainable business park with great potential, and I would like to thank everyone involved for their constructive cooperation. A forward-looking business park is taking shape here as another step for Gelsenkirchen on its path to becoming a green industrial city. ecoPARK Gelsenkirchen is part of the city’s initiatives and projects aimed at phasing out fossil fuels and replacing them with innovative solutions.”
Landmarken’s sister company, ecoPARK, develops particularly sustainable modular commercial and industrial properties as well as business districts that adapt flexibly to users’ changing needs. On the site between Europastraße and Kesselstraße, a new, divisible warehouse building—including office spaces—is being constructed using a hybrid wood-frame construction method, enabling it to operate entirely without fossil fuels. To this end, a photovoltaic system will be installed across the entire roof to generate electricity for on-site use and for feeding into the local grid. Heat pumps are planned for heating and cooling. The roof structures will be constructed using timber. The facades and roofs, made from recycled building materials, will be greened. The project is designed to meet the BEG-40 standard, and the goal is to achieve DGNB Platinum certification.
Discussions are currently underway with interested tenants for the two to four units, which feature 14 loading docks, an LED lighting system, and charging stations for cars and bicycles.
