Continental supports the idea of locating its new headquarters at the Pferdeturm in Hanover. The company started official detailed negotiations with the city of Hanover, which meant a possible acquisition of two areas in the north and south of Hans-Böckler-Allee. The two premises have together a total size of about 37,600 square metres. In case of a location in this area they are supposed to be linked.
“After checking different offers of potential premises in the cities of Hanover and Garbsen, we took a decision in favour of the two free areas at the Pferdeturm in Hanover. We are thinking of setting up our headquarters as a modern and extraordinary construction there, which will be similar to a campus and will support communication for our company and the city. At the same time, we will dispose of sufficient spare space and thus further developing potential for the future”, says Dr. Elmar Degenhart, CEO at Continental. There was also an offer from the city of Garbsen for the group. “After intensively weighing all the pros and cons concerning important criteria like costs, transport connection and administrative support, we took a decision in favour of Hanover. The premises were at a similar level in both cities”, continues Degenhart. At the end of the day, higher planning security in the case of Hanover was the crucial factor.
Now, this alternative is to be supported by further negotiations. Beforehand, Continental and the city had together fixed the most important topics in a written memorandum. Among others the following topics will be discussed: traffic connection, support for carrying out a competition for architects, design of an innovative road construction to link the two premises and a detailed project implementation. The involved parties would like to finish negotiations by the end of the year. Transfer of ownership is meant to take place in the first quarter of 2017. Moving to the new headquarters is supposed to take place in 2020. The technology company itself estimates an investment on the high two-digit million-euro scale for the whole project.
(kle)
