15 / 2019
Now it is finally settled - the new site of the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut (PEI) will remain in Langen. The deed for sale for the premises of Kronenhof in Langen was notarized on Monday, 1 July 2019. This clears the way for a new building directly opposite the current building of the PEI in the Paul-Ehrlich-Straße in Langen. The Federal Agency for Real Estate Tasks (Bundesanstalt für Immobilienaufgaben, BImA), as the government's central real estate organisation, becomes the owner of the premises and is also the constructor of the new building, which will be leased to the PEI in the future. The new building will be constructed according to the latest technology and energy efficiency standards, providing both high-quality laboratories and enough space for modern work practices.
The planning and construction period is estimated to be roughly ten years. A feasibility study estimated the building costs would be 415 million Euros. "To remain in Langen is a good and pragmatic solution for many reasons", said Professor Klaus Cichutek, president of the PEI. He mentioned two examples: "Experienced and well-trained staff will not have to think about moving. Besides, we will be able to continue to use proven infrastructure, such as the joint energy centre with the German Air Traffic Control (Deutsche Flugsicherung, DFS)."
The town of Langen will also benefit from this decision, the PEI with its roughly 800 staff being the second largest employer and thus an important economic factor. As both a senior federal authority and a renowned research institute, the PEI adds additional value to Langen as a business location.
Moreover, contact with surrounding universities in Frankfurt, Gießen, Marburg and Mainz is maintained.
The substantial remedial and modernization needs of the current property meant that the PEI required a new home. Therefore, the Federal Ministry of Health (Bundesgesundheitsministerium, BMG) commissioned the BImA with the open-ended search for a new location for the PEI in 2017.
A large number of municipalities and local authorities in the Rhine-Main area showed great interest in providing the PEI with a new site and applied for the tender. Preliminary negotiations were conducted with 14 municipalities. Important tendering criteria included a construction site of 60,000 to 70,000 square metres, a well-developed infrastructure and easy access to international public transportation.
A short-list of four locations was then established for which the Hessian Real Estate Management (Landesbetrieb Bau und Immobilien Hessen, LBIH) carried out feasibility studies on behalf of the Institute for Federal Real Estate. As a result, the offered property in Langen was shown to be the best suited option for the future location of the PEI, considering both constructional and economic aspects.
Contact:
Paul-Ehrlich-Institut
Press Office
Telefon: +49 6103 77 1030
Email: presse@pei.de
Updated: 03.07.2019
