Winterthur: Cooperatives build on Sulzer site
Implenia, which is developing the Sulzer site in Winterthur, is selling land to two housing cooperatives. These want to realize non-profit new construction projects on construction site 3.
The Gesewo cooperative for self-managed living purchased around 1,800 sqm of land on the Sulzer site on June 7, and the gaiwo cooperative for housing for the elderly and disabled will complete this step on June 14, 2017, acquiring a further 744 sqm of building land. The seller is Implenia, which is developing the entire site and building a superstructure on construction site 3 together with the two cooperatives and the Adimora investment foundation of the Pensimo Group.
At the same time as the transfer of ownership, the two cooperatives will sign the project development contract with Implenia. The building application has already been submitted on May 31, 2017, and the building permit is expected at the end of 2017.
The two Winterthur cooperatives want to build non-profit space for living and working in the new district: gaiwo is building around 50 smaller 2- to 2.5-room apartments. Gesewo will build around 70 apartments of various sizes. In addition to a high proportion of apartments for one- and two-person households, Gesewo envisages apartments for families, shared apartments and large households. On the first floor of its development, Gesewo is creating spaces for commercial and public uses.
Mix of rental, cooperative and condominium apartments
Gesewo is specifically planning a settlement in which communal living is at the center. As in all Gesewo projects, the residents are to shape the community life, manage the settlement themselves and thus be responsible for operation, renting, maintenance and part of the financing. gaiwo wants to offer affordable, age-appropriate apartments, especially for older people and people with disabilities.
The two cooperative housing estates are part of a larger development on Building Site 3, which lies at the heart of the development project on the central Dialogplatz. Implenia is responsible for the planning and construction as project developer and general contractor. In addition to Gesewo and gaiwo, other development partners are creating residential space on the site: the Adimora investment foundation of the Pensimo Group is building affordable rental apartments and Implenia is realizing condominiums. Plans call for construction to begin in mid-2018 and for the first residents to move in by 2021.
"Construction site 3 in Plant 1 marks the first implementation within the framework of the design plan approved by the population," says Winterthur City Councilor Josef Lisibach. "I am pleased that four developers are working together to realize such a large residential building that covers a broad spectrum of rental, cooperative, retirement and owner-occupied apartments."
