City buys building, plans renovation

The Frankfurt City Council has taken a significant step towards establishing an addiction center in the city. The building at Niddastraße 76, near the central station, has been purchased by the development company KEG, in which the city holds a 50% stake. The purchase contract has been signed, and the cost amounts to approximately six million euros. The estimated renovation costs are around 4.2 million euros.

The decision to set up the center in this location has been controversial, with residents expressing concerns and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) previously rejecting the project. However, the coalition supporting the project now consists of three parties: The Greens, Social Democratic Party (SPD), and Volt.

No access controls for target group

Initially, the center was planned to be accessible only to those connected to the Frankfurt drug scene. However, this regulation was rejected in the city council. Instead, the mayor, Mike Josef (SPD), insisted on a regulation of the target group, causing resentment among drug aid facility providers and the left-wing faction.

The new addiction help center will not have any admission controls, and officials do not expect a negative impact on existing offers or the new center. The assistance will focus on providing support for further aid outside the Bahnhofsviertel area or conveyance back to the region of origin.

Current tenants face uncertainty

Despite the city council’s purchase of the building, many questions remain. There are still individual rooms occupied, and the fate of the current tenants is in discussion. While the city supports those looking for replacement rooms, the Yoga Vidya Center Frankfurt is at risk of closure if no suitable alternative is found.

Round table for residents and businesses planned

The city plans to set up a round table for residents and business people once the renovation begins. This will serve as a contact point for addressing concerns and issues that may arise during and after the center’s establishment.

Legal opinions differ on center’s permit

The city of Frankfurt’s building supervision department maintains that the addiction help center can be permitted at the Niddastraße location, despite a legal opinion from the Frankfurt law firm FPS suggesting otherwise. The city plans to implement various structural, organizational, and regulatory measures to mitigate the center’s impact on the neighborhood.

Construction timeline and opening uncertain

The start of the conversion into an addiction aid center and the facility’s opening times remain uncertain. The construction planning is ongoing, and the exact timeline will depend on the approval process for the special building. The center is expected to open at the end of 2026.

The sponsors of the facility will determine the operating hours, which should be coordinated with existing institutions. The city’s primary focus in recent months has been advancing the construction planning and deciding on the division of areas within the house.