Zurich: Green light for residential development above Hard streetcar depot

Zurich voters approved the property loan of around CHF 203.5 million for the "Partial replacement of the Hard streetcar depot with new municipal housing development, industrial quarter" project with a share of 70.9% votes in favor. The voter turnout was 49.2%.

The Hard streetcar depot near Escher-Wyss-Platz is partially protected as a historic monument, but no longer meets the structural and operational requirements. Therefore, the unprotected part of the depot is to be replaced by a new building and the protected buildings are to be repaired. In order to make optimum use of the plot, the construction of a housing estate with 193 units is also planned above the new depot.

A design by Morger Partner Architekten from Basel is to be realized. According to the project, the new "Depot Hard" development is divided into several building sections: The two long sides of the base building house commercial space facing Hardturmstrasse and apartments facing Limmatuferweg. The roof of the depot parking garage - the third floor of the development - will be used as an inner courtyard for the housing estate.

The courtyard is bordered on the long sides by 42 townhouses. A further 136 apartments are being built in two high-rise buildings, 68 and 65 meters high. A bicycle garage is planned in the basement with space for over 650 bicycles.

Together with the listed depot section, the new streetcar hall will provide parking space for a total of 25 streetcars. In addition, rooms for offices, checkrooms, break rooms and storage, among other things, will be created in the base building and in the listed parts of the building.

The demolition of the old, unprotected part of the depot is to begin in the fall of 2020, according to earlier information. According to the plans, the first apartments will be ready for occupancy in the fall of 2025, and the streetcar depot is to be put into operation in the spring of 2026. (ah)