GZplus0518_Gesamt_ohneRuecken_ENG

Projects & Visions
Urban Development
Masterplan
for the future
Idar-Oberstein’s financial circumstances are certainly no bed of roses. And therefore it was
all the more important to Mayor Frank Frühauf that optimal use of the available resources
be made. The result: the ‘Vision 2030’ masterplan.
T
he ‘Vision 2030’ masterplan aims
to upgrade the status of the town
of Idar-Oberstein and make it a
centre of the national park region. “There
has already been a range of expert opinions
exploring urban development,” recalls
Mayor Frank Frühauf. “But we don’t just
need expert opinions; we need a masterplan
where every citizen can see what the
next specific steps will be and what has
already been achieved,” he says. The aim,
he explains, is to devise a realistic and target-oriented
masterplan for the development
of the town. Idar-Oberstein should be
perceived as the “treasure of the national
park region”, both at a regional and national
level.
This masterplan was created in 2016
using the town’s own resources. Employees
from the business development, city
marketing, urban planning and finance departments
devised the masterplan and
now keep it up-to-date on a special website.
“Everyone should be able to understand
that something is happening here,”
says Frühauf. The ‘Urban Development
Day’ on 5 May of this year revealed exactly
what is happening! Three projects have so
far been launched: the redeveloped train
station, the new city library and the renovated
Bengel industrial landmark which
will be completed in mid-2018.
CLEAR PROFILE REQUIRED
Three fundamental tasks were identified
as being key to a successful development
process. Profiling: the town of Idar-Oberstein
requires a clear profile which can be
communicated to the outside world. The
focus is on the town’s unique status as a
town of gemstones and jewellery and a national
park town. Pooling of efforts: the
available potential should all be channelled
in the same direction based on collaboration
between the citizens, companies and
administration. Joint regional development:
Idar-Oberstein sees itself as being
part of the region and a link between the
Naheland region and Hunsrück-Hochwald
national park. The profiling of the town
should also drive development throughout
the region. A joint regional development
strategy without parochial thinking is desirable.
These are certainly noble goals but
many ideas are known to never progress
beyond the paper. Fortunately, the town
has introduced measures to ensure that
the ideas are gradually implemented. The
masterplan will be updated on an ongoing
basis and regularly discussed by the council
and the status of the measures involved
will be kept up-to-date. An initial interim
status report was released in May 2017
and a second at the end of last year.
There are many projects underway and
the sensitive issues relating to the Hertie
property have been resolved. A new attraction
for the city centre will be created here:
the ‘Modepark Röther’ fashion park. Redevelopment
work is already underway and
the ‘Auf der Idar’ car park is also being renovated.
Other empty commercial properties
will also be made available. Plans for
Photos: Stadtverwaltung Idar-Oberstein
120 GZ plus 05/18