The project is a phased redevelopment of the former school site at Friesenstraße and Konstantinstraße in Giesenkirchen, Mönchengladbach, Germany. It is being developed by the city-owned housing company WohnBau Mönchengladbach. The site covers 6,773 m²; plans retain three listed buildings and add three new buildings to create a residential quarter. 12
The first phase covers about 2,100 m² and combines the restoration of the Erna-Borgs-Haus, formerly a teachers’ residence, with construction of a new apartment building. Together, they will provide 13 barrier-free homes and 10 car-parking spaces. The historic building will contain five apartments, with two to four rooms and areas of 41–83 m²; the new building will contain eight apartments, with two or three rooms and areas of 54–76 m². The stated investment is approximately €1.3 million for the restoration and €2.1 million for the new building. 12
Later phases are planned to restore the other two listed former school buildings and construct three new buildings across the site. A 2023 WohnBau activity report described a wider scheme of 40 homes, including apartments with one to four rooms and a mix of publicly subsidised and privately financed housing. 14 The report says an architecture competition for the site was held in 2020; Mönchengladbach practice bolzen + mehring Architekten won first place. 11
The first-phase launch was marked by a ceremonial groundbreaking. The project page quotes WohnBau board members Christian Heinen and Frank Meier, and Mönchengladbach mayor Felix Heinrichs, on the plans’ combination of housing, heritage conservation and accessible design. 12