Basel: Fewer affordable apartments in the Rosental Tower

The building commission of the Large Council (BRK) has concretized the development plan for the new, 110-meter-high tower at Messeplatz in Basel and decided that there should be affordable housing on a maximum of one-fifth of the floor space. The commission had to deal with the development plan a second time, as the matter was referred back to it by the Grand Council. 

According to a report by the Basel newspaper Messe Basel, as the building leaseholder of the existing parking garage, had signaled that it would hardly find investors for the new building with the 40% share of non-profit apartments initially planned. The head of the Department of Construction and Transport (BVD), SP councillor Hans-Peter Wessels, had also pushed for a compromise so that the planned 200 apartments could be built. 

According to the new version of the development plan, the new building must still have a residential floor area of at least 50%. Of this, at least 40%, but no more than 10,000 sqm, would have to be available for cost rent. Thus, of the 48,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area allowed, at least 24,000 sq. ft. must be residential. The original space program envisaged up to 200 hotel rooms, 90 to 140 apartments and office space of around 16,000 sqm. An area on the first floor can be used for gastronomy. 

Furthermore, the controversial felling of eleven horse chestnut trees on the side of the Rosentalanlage is to be dispensed with. The row of trees must be preserved, is it in the new version. In return, the facade does not have to be greened. The maximum number of 1,143 underground parking spaces for passenger cars remains.  

It was also decided that the properties of Exhibition Hall 3 and the Musical Theater at the Riehenring are to be released from the development plan, as Messe wants to sell these buildings. Immobilien Basel-Stadt wants to build around 200 apartments on the site of exhibition hall 3. (ah)