Strauss site becomes Schiller Quarter
A new quarter with housing, nursing care, assisted living, a specialist medical center in a medical center, health stores, food retailers, restaurants and cafés is to be built in the middle of Hof's city center, combining medical and other services. The concept also includes publicly accessible green spaces and a bus hub. The site is the so-called Strauß-Areal in the city center of Hof, an area between Schillerstrasse and Friedrichstrasse that has lain fallow for years and is being renamed the "Schiller Quarter" in coordination with the city of Hof.
Drill thick boards
The current status of the Schiller Quarter
After years of the inner-city site being unsightly and characterized by a large pile of earth, the area was cleared and levelled by the new investors. A temporary parking lot was created, which has since been privately managed. In addition, initial measures were also implemented in the area surrounding the site, such as securing adjacent houses and installing new heating systems.
In the background, planning for the project continues to progress, which is one of the largest projects in Hof's history. Accordingly, the project also involves many necessary steps in terms of planning, approval and organization. The development plan procedure is currently underway, in which many other authorities and public bodies are involved in addition to the city of Hof. As soon as this process is completed, the area can be built on.
The investors themselves are currently examining in the background which partners would be on board for the respective uses. For example, talks are being held with potential sponsors and operators, with doctors for the medical center and many other stakeholders.
As things currently stand and if all goes well, the first excavators could roll onto the site in 2024. What will definitely take place in the area again in 2024 is the innovative cultural project 'Bühne raus', which will once again enrich the cultural life of Hof for two weeks with the participation of many stakeholders and fill the area with creative impulses and new perspectives.
The Strauss site: a brief chronology
15 years of vacancy, wasteland, hopes and annoyance
2007 The Edeka store in the Zentralkauf closes in December
2012 First calls for the Zentralkauf building to be demolished
2015 Announcement of the Hofgalerie shopping center with 17500 m2 of retail space
2016 Change of ownership of the property - the buyer is LIG in Luxembourg
2017 Demolition of the Zentralkauf building
2018 Building permit for Hofgalerie is granted
2019 AHG registered as the new owner of the property
2020 Hofgalerie turns out to be a failure; Ferris wheel at Strauß; plans for interim use are presented
2021 City/owner negotiations; contacts with interested buyers; plans and funding approval for cultural stage
2022 Change of ownership and new urban planning solution
2023 The open-air experience "Bühne raus" takes place on the site for the first time
