Green light for new CSA building project in Basel
The Credit Suisse Investment Foundation can expand the Horburg-Dreirosen housing estate in Basel as planned. The Basel government council has approved the development plan.
The historically valuable Horburg estate has belonged to CSA Real Estate Switzerland, an investment group of Credit Suisse Investment Foundation, since 2002. The estate dates back to the late 1940s and was built by the chemical company Ciba at the time for its employees. It comprises four residential buildings with a total of 160 apartments, a workshop, a daycare center and a kindergarten. In 2011, the settlement was included in the canton's inventory of buildings worthy of protection.
CSA Real Estate Switzerland plans to preserve the existing buildings and at the same time expand the site with new residential and commercial space. To this end, two residential buildings are to be built on the edge of the site facing Horburgstrasse, connected by a three-story base building with an underground parking garage. A total of 100 new apartments will be built, and retail space, a café and a kindergarten are planned in the base building. The project was designed by the Basel-based firm Buchner Bründler Architekten.
The government council has approved the corresponding development plan; the matter now goes to the Grand Council. According to the government council, 29 letters have been received against the plan, seven of which are explicitly entitled to file an objection due to their proximity to the object and the interests worthy of protection that have been presented. The Government Council is asking the Grand Council to reject the objections.
In parallel with the preparation of the development plan, Credit Suisse Investment Foundation and the cantonal monument preservation authorities concluded a protection agreement. It provides for the protection of the existing settlement, but allows for careful further development of the existing structure in order to be able to adapt the apartments to contemporary requirements and needs in the long term.
According to the government council, only half of the zonally possible building area has been created with the existing development. With the new building, about 75% of the maximum permissible building density will be achieved. (ah)
