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Revitalisation of the Kistner site

An attractive new centre in Lehe

The Kistner site in Lehe has been vacant at least since 2005, when the H. F. Kistner construction company went bankrupt. Roughly 4.2 hectares in size, the site’s central waterside location, its accessibility and the attractive landscape mean that it offers excellent prospects for development. Not far from the River Geeste, right next to the Geeste footpath and not far from the Saarpark and Lehe town park, the area offers high leisure qualities and a diverse landscape.

The site between Hafenstraße and the Geeste is now to be revitalised over the next few years. The main aims are: to end the current isolation of the Kistner site, to make the site valuable as an attractive neighbourhood for housing, non-disruptive commerce, retail outlets, services and leisure, and thus to make the area – and particularly the River Geeste – accessible to a broad public.

By restructuring the site and opening it up to use again, the largest available potential site at the heart of Lehe can provide the necessary boost for the development of the area and the neighbourhood by offering attractive and appropriate uses.

Preparatory construction work

However, various preparatory construction work is required for this, and this work is being assisted with ERDF funding, in order to create a good environment for private investment. The money is paying for the demolition of buildings, the removal of polluted soil, the renovation of the quayside, and the creation of open spaces in the public areas. The work includes the building of new shoreside reinforcements (quays), grassy areas and leisure areas, and public pathways – particularly the continuation of the Geeste footpath. The ERDF project also covers the renovation of the chimney – which is subject to a preservation order and is to be retained as a symbol of the lime-sand brick factory, with its significance in terms of cultural and local history.

A proactive project with positive interactions

The aim of these measures is to use the integrated Kistner site urban development project to initiate an appropriate, path-breaking proactive project which will serve as an urban development hinge and impact on the neighbouring residential areas and have positive interactions with the neighbourhood developments in the Klushof, Goethestraße and Mitte-Nord areas. Here, a special focus will be placed on the Goethestraße area – the base of the Lehe Neighbourhood Centre, another ERDF project in the assisted area – since this suburb with its multifaceted complex urban and socio-economic problems is probably where there is the greatest need for action in Bremerhaven.

Area of impact:Site of implementation:Total volume (ERDF programme):of which national funding:of which ERDF funding:
City of BremerhavenCity of Bremerhaven €6,564,500 €3,994,500 €2,570,000

Ansprechpartner:

Ms Maja Pfeifer

Ministry of Science and Ports
Division 34

Zweite Schlachtpforte 3,
28195 Bremen

+49 421 361-8582
+49 421 496-8582
E-mail


Demolition work starts on the Kistner site in Bremerhaven

On 12 January 2018, after twelve years of disuse, work started on the revitalisation of the Kistner site. The old buildings are currently being pulled down. The plan is to begin building a retail outlet in the spring, and there are to be apartments and a hostel at the back of the site, by the river Geeste.

The demolition work has begun on the site of the former sand-lime brick factory. The go-ahead for the first construction phase was given on 12 January 2018 by Mayor Paul Bödeker together with Carolin Kountchev of the city planning office and Nils Schnorrenberger, managing director of BIS (Bremerhaven’s investment promotion and urban development company): they unveiled the sign for the construction work to revitalise the Kistner site.

The approximately 4.6 hectare inner-city site will develop in two construction phases over the next few years to become an attractive, urbane neighbourhood. The intention is to provide € 2,570,000 of ERDF funding to help develop the site on the Geeste wharf.

Kistner site Bremerhaven, start of the demolition works

Demolition work is in full swing

The demolition work for the first phase of construction on the Kistner site will be pushed ahead with heavy equipment

The excavators are there

Demolition work is nearing the end

Impressions from demolition works Kistner site in April 2018

The excavators have made way for the new quarter on Geesteufer

Status of demolition work on the Kistner site in May 2018

The construction site on the Kistner area

Kistner site im Juni 2018