Development Concept for the South-eastern Inner Suburbs (EKISO) – Joint Action for a Strong Local Community

Background Information

Düsseldorf's south-eastern inner suburbs reveal definite deficiencies in function and design compared to other neighboring inner suburbs. Trading down combined with the sort of socio-economic problems which exist around the main station have led to a decrease in the appeal of public spaces and a lack of private investment in residential districts. As a consequence, the entire usage structure of ground floor premises has declined. The premises are dominated by amusement arcades, betting shops and erotic shops. There are only a few high-quality retail outlets within the district.

This situation was recognized right at the beginning of the century by the city of Düsseldorf and the Düsseldorf Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Contact was therefore made with the residents and especially the property owners, as one would expect them to be prepared to invest the most in their district. Following the establishment of the ISG Graf-Adolf-Straße e.V. in 2005, visible upgrades were achieved. In 2008, the council resolution "Development concept for the south-eastern inner suburbs", laid the basis for the establishment of two additional ISGs. Since then, work has continued in public-private partnerships with the State Capital Düsseldorf, to improve the district and achieve more appealing and welcoming public spaces, greater security and public order.

Goals of the Initiative

The aim is the sustainable upgrade of the entire district. The State Capital Düsseldorf is pursuing the strategy that sustainable achievements can only be made if private measures accompany them. With this in mind, a design concept is to be implemented from 2014/2015, the development of which can be seen as follows:

Results, suggestions and ideas from around two years of district work have been integrated into the formulation of the tender procedure for the development concept.

The implementation should provide for effective development impulses in the district with little structural intervention, taking into account limited public funds.

Afterwards, it is expected to attract private follow-up investment to achieve a sustainable upgrade.

Parties and Partners to the Initiative and Resources Used for Implementation

Town planning office of State Capital Düsseldorf: Initiator of the project, advising citizens on planning and legal issues relating to the upgrade, city and state funding applications, tender procedure for the design concept and presentation of awards;

Düsseldorf Chamber of Industry and Commerce: Joint initiator of project with city of Düsseldorf, contacting traders, contact point for citizens on all issues;

Stadt-und Regional planung Dr. Jansen GmbH: Contacting residents, setting up organization/association structures, moderation, organization and implementation of sub-projects, advising residents;

ISG Graf-Adolf-Straße e.V. (established 2005), ISG Worringer Platz e.V. (2010), ISG City-Ost e.V. (since 2011): contact points for city and politicians regarding upgrade and redesign of public spaces, mobilizing residents to participate and make investments, implementation of sub-projects.

The resources used for implementing the initiative include:

Financing strategy:

•Use of funds from the federal government, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the city of Düsseldorf supplemented by contributions from third parties Players:

•Staff of Communication and Planning Office

•Staff of city of Düsseldorf

•Staff of Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK)

•Members of Property and Community Associations (ISGs)

•Other interested citizens

Innovation for the Initiative

Evolutionary: The change to the Graf-Adolf-Straße and the successful upgrades which have been achieved through private and public investments, have been used as an example for the EKISO project in the adjoining districts. The citizens in the areas of Worringer Platz and City-Ost were shown the measures achieved by private-public partnerships. It was recommended that they cooperate using the same model. Those responsible at the ISG Graf-Adolf-Straße e.V. are still important advisors today. The binding cooperation of private and public players has innovative character, even though this ISG/BID movement is not just taking place in Düsseldorf.

•Financing: contributions from third parties (private individuals/ citizens)

•Implementation: participation of private individuals/ citizens

•Technology: websites of the ISGs

The initiative for the ISGs was the model project ISG Graf-Adolf-Straße.

Obstacles and Solutions for Innovation

The residents showed a great deal of skepticism when the organizational structures were being set up and at the start of the association's work. The presence of drug addicts in public spaces and what they left behind (syringes, bottles, refuse etc.) led to a distinct dissatisfaction with living conditions. At first, some people were of the opinion that these "undesirables" should be removed from the public space before they started cooperating and investing in the project. Lengthy discussions eventually resulted in agreement that the upgrade of the district could only be achieved together.

The city of Düsseldorf also voiced the opinion openly that "displacing" the undesirable elements was not completely possible. The area around the main station causes its own social problems.

Outcomes and Assessments

Outcomes achieved are as follows:

Upgrade of public space: more appealing and welcoming aspects, security, public order, reduced traffic/noise nuisance, fewer problems resulting from social conflict situations.

Change/improvement of usage structure: dismantling of usage regarded as having inferior quality (amusement arcades etc.), establishment of high quality retail, service and catering outlets.

Upgrade of property through private follow-up investments.

Due to the situation at the state capital Düsseldorf's main station, the impression made by the south-eastern inner suburbs is particularly important. The city of Düsseldorf enjoys a high economic and social reputation both on a national and international level. The city falls short of this reputation for visitors entering the city from the main station. As the area represents the link between the main station on the one hand and the Königsallee and Old Town on the other, the upgrade of the south-eastern inner suburbs is of paramount importance for image boosting or image endorsement purposes. 

Assessments are as follows:

No measurement or identification of key performance indicators has been carried out so far. The situation is assessed by regular contact with the residents. 

Methods Applied

District meetings:

The project work started in 2010 with the initial district meetings, which have been taking place regularly since then. The purpose of these is for citizens in the EKISO area to exchange ideas and opinions with those responsible at the city of Düsseldorf authorities as well as other players such as the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Calls for action in the district should be identified together and suitable measures should then be jointly discussed.

For the city of Düsseldorf, it is important to convey the need for a binding cooperative structure if collaboration is to be intensified. For this purpose, participants including the property owners and business traders can organize themselves into property and community associations (ISGs) for example.

An ISG must be formed from the "bottom up", however: local authorities and politicians cannot force this process but can only provide impulses in this direction.

It is in the hands of the local players to take the initiative and establish an ISG. So far, two property and community associations (ISGs) have emerged from the district meetings.

Benefits to Other Cities

The development concept for the south-eastern inner suburbs (EKISO) contributes to urban development through cooperative partnerships. The concept is based on cooperation. A wide variety of players are to be integrated in the project. The city of Düsseldorf is providing a contact person for this task who will deal with this project and its participants in detail. Property owners, business traders, committed residents and other partners such as the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), will also be cooperating in the venture. A planning and communication office set up by the city will coordinate the process and provide support services.

As this area has been designated a development area, the city of Düsseldorf will receive aid from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. These public funds in turn should be a stimulus for the private sector to make investments in the area and signalize to private partners that the city of Düsseldorf and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia are ready to support the measures of private partners, fund them and assist them with complementary activities and actions in the public domain. The aim is to achieve a substantial improvement in strategically significant places through the focused activity of leading public and private partners. At best, this will exert such an influence on neighboring districts that further investments — especially by private property and land owners – will follow. The objective in the medium term is to achieve the modernization of the entire area.

The district meetings described above and the property and community associations (ISGs) ideally emerging from them, help to pool the interests and needs of the citizens in the defined area. Suitable measures can be developed jointly to remedy deficiencies. It would be meaningful and useful to evaluate the measures later using previously determined criteria. The aim is mainly to initiate urban development measures which will result in a visual enhancement of the area. This will lead the residents to identify even more strongly with their district. Thanks to the significant improvements made to the public space as a result of the model project "ISG Graf-Adolf-Straße e.V.", there has been an increased willingness to invest in public property. This has led to the attractive design of facades, entrance areas, inner courtyards etc.

Most inner city districts in Germany have to contend with the same development trends. As a result of frequently visited establishments being developed in or relocated to the city outskirts, many inner-city districts are losing their original character. However, municipalities only have restricted financial resources at their disposal. There are many tasks which they are no longer able to shoulder and resolve themselves financially. This is why urban development instruments, which are supported by the initiatives of owners, retailers and the property industry, are growing in importance. The establishment of ISGs is one possible way of achieving this aim.