Locations in Aachen

But what exactly does this second foundation look like, how can this development be driven forward? What vision, what guiding idea could be derived from all the potential of this location?

In order to answer these questions, the City of Aachen's Department of Economic Development commissioned CIMA GMBH last year to draw up a utilization and marketing concept for the development of commercial space in Aachen-Nord. The aim was to draw up appropriate recommendations for action in order to optimally support the development.

As part of the concept development, the Aachen-Nord area under consideration is divided into different areas.

On the one hand, there is the core area of Aachen-Nord along Jülicher Straße, approx. 106.3 ha in size, with around 350 companies and a roughly estimated 7,000 employees.
The surrounding area of the Aachen-Nord commercial area borders directly on the core area. It extends to Krefelder Strasse in the northwest and includes the commercial uses along Prager Ring in the northeast as well as the open space along the Wurm in the south, the residential quarters south of Jülicher Strasse and parts of the adjacent Rehmviertel. It offers a variety of complementary uses that can make an important contribution to the individual profile and thus to the attractiveness of Aachen-Nord for companies and employees and are an essential part of Aachen-Nord.
Aachen-Nord is also characterized by three zonings in which different areas of potential arise.

On the one hand, there is the office/service axis along Krefelder Strasse with a freeway junction to the surrounding area and a direct link to the city center.
On the other hand, there is the Grüner Weg commercial strip. With potential for comprehensive upgrading in line with the idea of sustainable design of commercial areas. The realization of a Regio-Tram stop at the junction of Liebigstraße and Grüner Weg is seen as a major impulse project here.

This is followed by the core area of Aachen-North on both sides of Jülicher Straße. This area is currently the most dynamic section. The spectrum is very diverse and includes engineering offices, other production-related service providers, start-ups, craft businesses and smaller manufacturing companies. Three major development projects such as the Liebighöfe, the development of the Jahrhunderthallen Camus and the redesign of the TZA - with the urban village concept - are also currently shaping the core area of Aachen-Nord.

All of this embodies a promising mix and can certainly be seen as an enormous potential, provided that these sectors are optimally linked.
In addition to this promising mix, Aachen-Nord also has a great deal of other potential, such as Aachen's traditional large companies, which are complemented by small and start-up companies and thus form a synonym for urban production and innovative services, but at the same time also represent an experimental field for the sustainable combination of working and living.

The transformation from a traditional industrial location to an innovative digital location and into a new future in which old and new are closely linked and Aachen North remains a reflection of economic and social development. An area of the future where tomorrow is already being lived today.

The vision of the future space takes into account some general, but also central factors that are of key importance for sustainable company locations. On the one hand, these are the changes in working environments resulting from technological innovations, process changes and new business models as well as from changing lifestyles and new concepts of employee management. This not only entails changes in the design of buildings but also major changes with regard to the requirements of the environment: the no longer strict separation of leisure and work results in an increased demand for gastronomic offerings, high-quality outdoor recreation areas, the need for daycare centers, fitness facilities or service offerings for employees in the neighborhood. At a time when "hard" location factors are increasingly becoming ubiquitous, "soft" factors are gaining in importance.

On the other hand, the principles of sustainability, which according to the common understanding of sustainability are based on a three-pillar model consisting of economy, ecology and social issues, will also shape the developments in Aachen-Nord

The results of various workshops accompanying the project also played a role in shaping the vision for Aachen-Nord. The great interest of the property owners and developers involved in a cooperation for the coordinated development and marketing of Aachen-Nord was repeatedly made clear. In a number of workshops and discussions with various stakeholders, one thing was mentioned again and again - the desire for joint development with all stakeholders in order to avoid isolated solutions and to recognize and exploit synergies, but in particular to drive forward dynamic and powerful development towards a district that radiates its vibrancy and attractiveness and inspires through it.

However, individual needs in revitalization and development projects should not fall by the wayside and should definitely be taken into account and made possible. Beyond one's own location, beyond one's own project, however, there should be solidarity, a common goal, a community.

A "heart in Aachen-Nord" is desired - perhaps on Grüner Weg, perhaps at the beginning of Jülicher Straße, wherever, the important thing is that it offers space for everyone to linger, to work, to relax and to be together. But it should also be possible to use digital solutions and infrastructure together, such as a shared app for using parking spaces or for the availability of work and meeting rooms in the district.

Further synergy effects can be seen in the area of innovative mobility concepts. In an optimal connection of the location to the outside, but also a networking and circulation within the district and a connection to the city center.

All this gave rise to the vision for Aachen-Nord, which was set out accordingly in the concept development and defined with four features:

• Aachen North will become a future-oriented and sustainable business location with a quality of stay that meets the challenges of digitalization and climate protection of our time.
• In Aachen North, companies find space in every phase. From start-up to growth and establishment.
• Smart solutions in the areas of economy, ecology and social affairs for both the economy and the residents are developed and / or used here.
• The commercial location is being developed together with local stakeholders.

For example, defines the Aachen-Nord area under consideration as a model future area in which private and public stakeholders work closely together to develop the location in line with sustainability and smart city principles. The change in working methods and social change should become visible here. Through revitalization and other measures, the formerly industrial location can be transformed into a new, promising and presentable location with a radiant effect. Established and new companies alike should shape the location and create additional jobs. This will go hand in hand with an ambitious mix of residential and commercial areas, in terms of social interaction but also with regard to the integration of new, more innovative forms of living, such as co-living concepts.

The quality of stay at the location is to be improved, the gastronomic offerings expanded and cultural and creative enterprises are to be established and integrated into the district with their offerings.

As a first step in this development, CIMA GmbH mentions in its concept development the establishment of a location management for Aachen-Nord as a coordination and contact point for this process.

This has already been done. A further recommendation for action is the implementation of various networking activities in the form of events, workshops or similar.

The Aachen economic region is dynamic and in demand - but suitable areas for companies to settle are limited. Close cooperation between the municipalities is creating a joint pool of land that:

• creates new development opportunities,
• contributes to overcoming structural change,
• ensures sustainable land use and
• companies to find the right location.

The partner municipalities coordinate the commercial space pool together and ensure balanced economic development in the region. Companies benefit from an expanded range of sites, better planning processes and a central point of contact for all questions relating to commercial sites.