Lübeck's city center in transition: major projects for the future started!

Lübeck's city center in transition: major projects for the future started!

The plans to redesign Lübeck's city center are taking more concrete forms. With the “City Center Framework Plan” adopted in 2019, the city is pursuing the goal of creating attractive, functional and sustainable urban development. A visible sign of these developments is the ongoing work on the upper Beckergrube, which serves as the first step in the implementation of the framework plan. This work has been underway since last year and is scheduled to be completed in autumn 2024, as hl-live.de reported.

Due to an acute shortage of staff, the city administration has initially concentrated on the Beckergrube. Apart from the redesign of the Beckergrube, the city is planning other important projects such as the redesign of the bicycle street and a redesign of Holstentorplatz. Mayor Jan Lindenau has already indicated that there will be fewer cars on the cycle route and that a large number of parking spaces for residents will be lost.

Renovation projects for a better quality of life

A central point of the redesign concept is the reduction of through traffic at Holstentorplatz. This area is to be redesigned in the future to create a better quality of stay. Visitors passing through the Holstentor will land on a new platform that will allow them to cross the Trave and enter the city center. This is supported by a boulevard-like design of Holstenstrasse, which is intended to create an inviting ambience with greenery as well as new, non-commercial seating and catering options.

However, financing these ambitious projects could be challenging. In particular, the federal subsidy for the Beckergrube was lower than expected. This makes it all the more important to develop a comprehensive mobility concept designed to sustainably improve traffic in the city center. Numerous citizen participation formats have already been used to include the opinions of the Lübeck population.

Citizen participation is the key to success

The planning process is structured in such a way that citizen participation has a high priority. A team of planners worked on an overarching concept that aims to find solutions to the various challenges facing the city center. Various ideas and perspectives were requested in a total of three dialogue phases. From workshops to closing events to a “future dialogue on tour”, numerous steps have taken place to actively involve citizens in the process. luebeck.de highlights that over 216 future stories were received on topics such as mobility and public space.

These comprehensive efforts show the city's willingness to develop a livable city center for everyone and to actively participate in shaping Lübeck's future. The city center master plan is an important informal planning tool that not only analyzes the city's existing strengths and weaknesses, but also opens up sustainable development perspectives.