Case Studies  The Karolinenviertel Case in Hamburg - St. Pauli

II. Urban regeneration and redevelopment in the Karolinenviertel

The regeneration-process of the Karolinenviertel is closely linked to the history of STEG. STEG was founded in 1990 by the City of Hamburg as a regeneration and redevelopment agency and district manager for the Karolinenviertel (and other areas) in times of a vivid squatter house scene in St. Pauli with even violent attacks on political authorities.

With the foundation of the company, the administration of approx. 1,400 apartment units and commercial units in the Western Inner City was transferred into the trustee fund of STEG. More than two thirds of this stock are located in the Karolinenviertel and are being redeveloped, respectively modernised by STEG within the framework of the regeneration procedure. The foundation of STEG and the transfer of city-owned real estate into STEG’s trustee ownership should contribute to the creation of conditions for an area-specific development supported by the inhabitants and by ‘mobilisation of all resources, resort-integrated steering and broad consultation, planning and financial aids’. ‘Working concepts and concepts granting use should be developed, combining aims of urban development, housing, social politics, labour and neighbourhood culture to an integrated approach.’ (Official foundation document for the STEG 13/4084).

Herewith, STEG has two important functions in the neighbourhood: On the one hand STEG administers one third of all housing and commercial areas in the district and on the other hand STEG acts as redevelopment agency engaged by the city of Hamburg. Its main task as redevelopment agency lays in the development and execution of the physical regeneration concept for the area with participation of the people affected (inhabitants, traders, owners etc.). The development of passed years has shown that urban regeneration alone - in the sense of bricks and mortar – cannot cope with the existing problems in a satisfactory manner. Instead concepts are necessary which combine aims of urban development, housing, social politics, labour and neighbourhood culture to an integrated action approach. Targets and contents of these concepts should possibly be worked out in consents with all participants, this means mutually with the City and district administration, politicians and inhabitants.

The ‘council for social questions’ which was founded in 1982, at the time of the preparatory survey for the Karolinenviertel, with representatives of inhabitants, respectively initiatives, traders and different institutions was taken over as the so-called ‘redevelopment advisory board’ in 1988 due to the resolution of a formally designated redevelopment area. By chairmanship and moderation of the redevelopment representative from the District-administration in Hamburg-Mitte and by management of STEG the council worked successfully over the years with great know-how and commitment (see Annex 1). The board meets once a month and its meetings are public. In 1999 a so-called ‘neighbourhood disposal fund’ for small, completed, confidence building measurements for activation of participation and projects in the amount of annually 20,000 Euros was established. The means are being distributed by the neighbourhood manager after a respective vote of the redevelopment board.

In 1992 the City of Hamburg recognised that the traditional instrument of redevelopment procedure is only partly suitable to cope with the challenges in the neighbourhoods. Therefore, the City has defined areas with numerous socio-economic problems as ‘social focus’. The Karolinenviertel then was stipulated as one out of eight pilot areas city-wide in order to develop new models and structures.

This especially includes:

• development of department-overlapping working structures (co-operation and bundling(focussing of resources)

• participation of people affected to strengthen self-initiative and self-help-potentials as well as a network of local, small and structure-orientated development measures.

This basis is still valid today and mainly determines the work of STEG. The regeneration concept of 1988 was continued respectively in 1999 and adopted to the changed frame conditions.

The following fields of action and targets were defined in the regeneration concept/ action plan for the Karolinenviertel:

• Housing: The improvement of housing quality by redevelopment and modernisation remains the most important target of neighbourhood development. The conservation of buildings as well as the creation of additional apartment units with affordable rents have further priority. Between 1990 and 2000 approx. 920 households were moved to replacement apartments for the period of modernisation. The ‘social plan’ is basis for necessary payments of rent differences, respectively loss of rent. In addition, 300 new apartment units were build during this time.

• Trade / Local economy: Local trade is being supported and structural change is being accompanied from a mostly slaughterhouse-orientated structure to the main emphasis on commercial and service-orientated use and if possible promoting this development. Especially the media economy has proven to be a strong growing branch within this structural change. Start-ups as well play an important role for the neighbourhood since growing niches for start-ups have been developed, respectively have been promoted purposefully.

• Changed use of commercial locations: With the change of commercial locations which lie fallow (i.e. former spices factory Laue – today Sternquadrant – with approx. 40,000 square metres) new functions and offers have been realised in the district.

• Infrastructure: Securing and stabilisation of the social infrastructure is of central significance. A number of social, educational and leisure time related facilities have been created or improved, for example a kindergarten, the extension of an elementary school to a whole-day neighbourhood school, a health centre for women as well as social counselling offers.

• Traffic: The reduction of traffic-burdens by external traffic and ‘looking for parking’ traffic is of central significance as well as the improvement of public spaces. A place which used to be a parking lot in central location could be transferred into a public green open space including a playground and other leisure time offers. In addition the traffic could be reduced by closing one main street in the area for through-traffic.

Looking back on the past 13 years there were different main emphasis in the urban regeneration of the Karolinenviertel. In 1990 the centre of attention in urban development focused on a cautious renewal of the building substance. Since then, this main emphasis was more and more joined by social and economic targets.

1.5. Public infrastructure provision    2.1. Instruments of neighbourhood development