Olten: Design plan for "Sälipark 2020" is available for viewing
The Sälipark shopping center in Olten (SO) is being renovated, and in the course of this, the surrounding area is also to be upgraded. The design plan for the 100-million project "Sälipark 2020" is now open to the public.
The project envisages the conversion of the shopping center located on the site of Giroud Olma AG on the right side of the Aare to meet current and future needs. In addition to shopping and work uses, residential use will also be possible in the Sälipark in the future.
According to a statement from the Olten City Council, the current Migros leisure center is to be replaced by a new building that will complement the existing Sälipark above and below ground. This will increase the total sales area on the first floor and first basement level by about a third to around 17,000 square meters. In future, the Migros supermarket will be located on the first basement level and the restaurant with outdoor area on the first floor. A total of 40 stores are to be located in the basement and first floor.
Offices are planned for the second floor, and 75 rental apartments will be built on the second to fifth floors. The number of parking spaces will be increased by 60 to a new total of 685.
The public outdoor space in front of the Sälipark will be designed continuously from facade to facade beyond Riggenbachstrasse. The central alley running through the site (Louis Giroud-Strasse) will function as a covered connecting axis between Riggenbachstrasse and Sälistrasse and as a shopping arcade.
As a basis under planning law for the realization of this project, an entry in the structure plan as a public-intensive location is required due to the considerable spatial impact, a partial zoning change - rezoning from commercial zone with residential portion to zone for public-intensive uses -, the preparation of a design plan with special building regulations and an environmental impact assessment. The design plan will be open to the public between November 25, 2016 and January 4, 2017, according to the Olten City Council.
Planning approval and construction permit are expected next spring. Construction work is scheduled to start in the summer and be completed in 2020. The family-owned company Giroud Olma is investing over CHF 100 million in the transformation of Sälipark. (ah)
