Basel: Rhystadt AG with new Chairman of the Board of Directors
Now that a compromise has been reached, the investor in Basel's largest neighborhood project is focusing on the next steps in the project's development.
Basel lawyer and construction law expert Daniel Gebhardt is to become the new Chairman of the Board of Directors of the largest owner of the Klybeck site in Basel. The previous Chairwoman of the Board of Directors, Isabelle Romy Romerio Giudici, did not stand for re-election after five years as a member of the Board of Directors and Chairwoman of Rhystadt AG. "I am pleased that the project is on a solid footing and that important issues such as the housing policy framework have been clarified," says the outgoing Chairwoman of the Board of Directors. Fabian Steiner from Zuger PK is also stepping down from the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors would like to thank both of them for their work over the past few years and their great personal commitment.
The Board of Directors of Rhystadt AG now consists of the existing members Conradin Stiffler (Vice Chairman), Anita Fetz Jenny and Munzur Halis as well as the two new members Gian Reto Lazzarini and Daniel Gebhardt. Gian Reto Lazzarini is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Schwyz-based construction company Butti AG.
Next phase of development
The shareholders of Rhystadt AG also discussed the status of the Klybeck transformation project at the Annual General Meeting. This had recently taken an important step forward: the Basel parliament approved the counter-proposal to the "Basel builds the future" initiative. This means that a compromise has been reached on the quota for affordable housing. The focus is now on the indicative project and land-use planning, according to Rhystadt AG.
One of the largest neighborhood projects in Switzerland with around 10,000 residents and numerous jobs is planned for the site. The popular initiative "Basel builds the future" had called for 50% of the land to be designated for affordable housing. In the spring, the Building and Spatial Planning Commission (BRK) of the Grand Council presented a counter-proposal, which followed the government's line on this key point and provided for 30 % of affordable housing, but accommodated the initiative committee on other points. According to the compromise, the creation of affordable housing is not tied to the legal form of the developer. A lower value-added tax should make it easier for investors to build affordable housing.
Rhystadt AG recently announced some changes to the current use of the site: Basel-based start-up Mycrobez, which employs 20 people, took up laboratory space on the site in the winter and is currently setting up production in building WKL-675. Novartis is also using additional premises as part of an interim use in the WKL-686 property, and Monte Rosa Therapeutics AG has also moved into additional space in WKL-136. Rhystadt AG did not wish to provide information on the size of the areas when asked. (aw)
