Basel: Roche may build third high-rise building
The government council has approved the development plan for the pharmaceutical company's southern site, thus enabling the construction of a third high-rise building. At the same time, Roche has announced further expansion plans on the northern site.
The Basel Government Council has approved the development plan for the southern Roche site in Basel for submission to the Grand Council - and thus given the green light for the possible construction of a third high-rise building on the site, which is to be even higher than the two existing towers.
The pharmaceutical company's plans for the southern part of its main site on Grenzacherstrasse include demolishing the research and office buildings there. This will create space for a park and a reception center. If necessary, Roche can construct a third high-rise building, Building 3. At 221 meters, the new office tower would be slightly taller than the previous Swiss record holder, the immediately adjacent "Building 2" at 205 meters. The volume of the third skyscraper is limited to 81,000 square meters.
The development plan will redistribute the existing land use so that more green space is created without Roche having to give up usable space, explains the government council. At present, just over half of the site is built on; after implementation of the plan, just under a third would remain.
According to the government council, objections to the plan submission were received criticizing, among other things, the further densification of the area and the loss of two buildings worthy of protection. The government council has requested that the objections be rejected. The densification has already taken place on the northern site, but the built-up area on the southern site is decreasing because the existing use is being shifted upwards. With regard to the buildings worthy of protection, the balance of interests is in favor of the development of the site and against the preservation of the two buildings.
Further investments in the northern area
Meanwhile, Roche announced that it will invest a further CHF 1.2 billion in the North Site. Building 12 will be a new research and development building costing CHF 500 million. It will be 72 meters high with 13 floors and provide space for 450 workplaces.
A new production building will cost a further CHF 570 million. The existing Building 50 will be renovated and extended and a new building, Building 51, will be added. And the existing Building 92 will be converted for around CHF 100 million to create space for 250 researchers.
According to the pharmaceutical company, the planned buildings will be realized as part of the existing development plan for the northern site. The work should be completed by 2030. (ah)
