Lucerne: EWL site to be developed

The Energie Wasser Luzern (EWL) site is around 21,500 square meters in size and is currently home to the company's headquarters as well as the city's civil engineering office, geoinformation center and environmental protection departments.

According to the city of Lucerne, the current use is "far below the possible potential given by the building and zoning regulations". The city of Lucerne and EWL Energie Wasser Luzern Holding AG have therefore drawn up plans for a new use and development of the site.

The aim is to create a security and service center with additional residential use, it is now said. In addition to the current users, the fire department, the Pilatus civil defence organization, the rescue service and the Central Switzerland Emergency Medical Centre of Lucerne Cantonal Hospital as well as the Lucerne police operations control center are to be accommodated on the site in future.

In addition to the security and service center, apartments are also planned for the site. A "substantial proportion" of these are to be non-profit apartments. Alternative forms of housing, such as a pilot project for intergenerational living, are also being examined. The "Red House", which is listed as worthy of protection in the cantonal building inventory of the city of Lucerne, is to be put to public use with a connection to the neighborhood.

City, EWL and an investor want to set up a public limited company

In order to realize the development, the city of Lucerne, EWL and a third party - ABL Allgemeine Baugenossenschaft Luzern has already declared its concrete intention to participate - want to establish a joint stock corporation for planning, realization and operation. According to the City of Lucerne, this model would ensure the ownership rights and participation of the parties involved and best meet their different interests.

With the planning report, which is expected to be discussed by the City Council on June 29, 2017, the City Council wants to inform parliament about the plans for the development of the site. At the same time, the City Council is requesting that the favored ownership and financing model be approved.

In the next step, the city and EWL want to commission an overall performance study, and EWL has already started the tendering process. Following prequalification, selected development teams will draw up binding project proposals in a two-stage process in which the investment costs and economic viability will be demonstrated.

The plan is for the city council and the electorate to decide on the necessary expenditure by the city in 2019. The construction project should be ready by mid-2020, and construction work could then begin in summer 2021. The plan is to complete the new site development in 2025. The land will be transferred to the investor under building rights.