Gerberstraße
The apartment building is located centrally at the main railway station and is nestled within a highly prominent neighbourhood. The former Hotel Astoria is located just across from it, with its striking façade long since obscured by scaffolding.
Juli 2022: Many trades under one roof
Several trades are working in parallel on the large construction site. Alongside work on the roof, renovations on the striking facade are moving into their next stage. After that, everything will be prepared for the installation of photovoltaic systems. The electricity from the building's very own solar power station will be used to generate energy for building services and e-bike charging stations, among other things.
Inside the large building, plumbers, painters, drywallers, tilers and floor layers are working side by side.
In addition, the lifts are currently being revamped. Three of the four systems have already been dismantled and the shafts prepared for new installation. The fourth lift will continue to be used for goods. The sophisticated and complex static supporting structure on the ground floor has now been completed, with the facade currently being sealed. This will be followed up by work on the interior.
Completion is scheduled for mid-2023
February 2022: Preparations for the facade renovation have begun
Preparations for the renovation of the distinctive facades have begun. Here, the outer skin of the residential building is to completely washed off. In some areas, the defective or missing insulation will be replaced and the base clad with stone slabs. By the end of February, new windows will be fitted on the north-facing side. From March, it will be the turn of the south-facing side.
Meanwhile, work on the interior is also progressing well. To create a spacious foyer on the ground floor, interior walls must be demolished. Before that, an intermediate support structure will be erected here to support the entire load-bearing structure of the house. The walls will then be demolished in stages and the actual support structure erected.
At the same time, installation work for heating, ventilation and sanitation is already underway. Media and electrical cables are being laid. Drywall work has begun in the corridors and ceilings are being clad.
September 2021: Inside the building work is in full swing
Demolition and gutting work is being performed floor by floor. Several tonnes of rubble have to be removed from the 9-storey building every single day. At the same time, shell construction and concrete cutting work is going on. New, expansive window openings have been created on the mezzanine floor, which used to conceal storage rooms. Here, an additional 18 apartments are being built. The central corridors are also to get new windows on the longitudinal sides.
The underground pipes have already been renovated. At present, electrical work is just starting. This includes fitting the spacious bicycle rooms with charging stations for e-bikes.
Meanwhile, the colour scheme for the facades and entrance areas, staircases and corridors is being planned. Together with the neighbouring buildings Gerberstraße 18 and 20, which were also built in 1970, Gerberstraße 14-16 is subject to so-called “protection as a listed group of buildings” (“Ensembleschutz”) under German law. This means that all details are to be restored as faithfully as possible to the original. Any changes are coordinated with the responsible authorities.
March 2021: LWB is building at the Astoria
With Gerberstraße 14-16, LWB has begun its largest renovation project to date. Extensive work is planned both on the residential building’s exterior and interior. The (barrier-free) conversion of the mezzanine floor will increase the number of flats from its current number of 256 to 274. In addition to extensive façade work – among other things, the concrete decorative reliefs will enjoy proper renovation – all doors and windows, as well as the building services, heating and, for example, electrical installations, will all be renewed. The entire ground floor zone will be redesigned and bicycle storage areas will be established. In addition, space will be created for a modern concierge zone.
