Harburg Inland Port: Major Plans, Little Progress – Hotel Project Fails
Hamburg, March 5 – Eleven years ago, a vibrant beach club graced the Harburg Inland Port. It was dismantled to make way for a hotel that never materialized. Today, the site at Veritaskai remains a desolate, overgrown plot, symbolizing the stalled development of the area. NDR 90.3 has exclusively learned that the hotel project has failed, and the land has been returned to the city.
The Hamburg-based Lorenz Group, as the developer, signed a contract in 2019 with the Plaza Hotelgroup from Heilbronn, envisioning a 19-story hotel with 272 rooms. This plan has now fallen through, and the property has been given back to the city, as confirmed by the relevant financial authority. For the residents of Harburg, this means the beach club was removed in vain.
New Beach Club Delayed Until 2027
Adding to the frustration, a new beach club, originally slated for the nearby Treidelweg, is also facing significant delays. A bidding process was initiated, but the project has been hampered by drainage issues discovered during the refurbishment of the old quay. Water accumulated on the future beach club site, necessitating a complete overhaul of the drainage system.
Financial Senator Andreas Dressel (SPD) stated, “This means it will be something for 2027. Once all conditions are met, we will re-tender the project so that we can finally inaugurate a beach club together.” The city plans to launch the tender for drainage works this week, but the timeline for new bids from potential beach club operators remains uncertain.
CDU Criticizes Stagnation as a “Misery”
The Harburg CDU faction has labeled the situation a “misery.” Thore Bliefernicht, a CDU district councilor, expressed disappointment, stating, “It is truly a shame that such beautiful plots, like the one at Treidelweg, have been lying fallow for eleven years now.” He added, “As a resident of Harburg, you really get the feeling that there is a lack of political will to decisively and unbureaucratically advance this quarter. Beach club areas could have been used here long ago, but that is not being done.” Bliefernicht questioned whether the area was being neglected.
Veritaskai Plot to Be Re-tendered
The prime location at Veritaskai, where the hotel project failed, is expected to be re-tendered soon. It is yet to be decided whether the land will be sold outright or if a building lease will be offered. Dressel emphasized in an interview with NDR that not everything can be solved with state subsidies. “Investors and operators must be found who are willing to take on the project. And that is indeed not a very easy market situation at the moment. We want to provide all the support we can and are allowed to. And so, we hope that people will come forward during the tender who say, ‘I’m keen to develop something there.'”
Further Undeveloped Areas in the Inland Port
Two other construction sites on the Harburg Schlossinsel have also remained undeveloped for years, overgrown with weeds. Hamburg-based project developer Primus Development has been working on the “Lightywood” project, which envisions office and laboratory spaces, including a five-story, H-shaped building constructed almost entirely from wood. According to Financial Senator Dressel, an allocation agreement has been made, requiring Primus Development to submit a concept by the end of June. If approved by the city, the actual contract will be drafted, but the outcome remains to be seen.
Some Progress: Social Center and Aqua2Dock Nearing Completion
Despite the setbacks, some developments in the Inland Port are nearing completion. A social center with housing for people in need is almost finished. Diagonally opposite, the Aqua2Dock project, comprising a 3-star hotel and a five-story office building, is also nearing completion.
Source: NDR.de
