Preparatory earthworks are already underway behind the current house and the construction pit has now been dug. The first of two building parts for the new building is being built here Adelheid House, a residential building run by the Social Service for Catholic Women (SkF) for up to 30 underage and young pregnant women, single mothers or fathers who often find themselves in stressful life situations or feel overwhelmed by their new parental role, as well as their children. They receive care and help from the house team. Since 2000, the house with the “Moses Window” has also offered an anonymous drop-off option for newborn babies, which is aimed at mothers in extreme emergency situations.
The families’ move is planned for fall 2025
The current house at Escher Straße 158 / corner of Ludwigsburger Straße, in which 27 families currently live, has existed since 1963; it no longer met today’s spatial and energy requirements. “The foundation stone for the first part of the building will be laid on April 12th,” says Martina Lochmann, the facility manager at Haus Adelheid. “If everything goes well, we will be in the new house in autumn 2025.”
After the first part of the new building is completed, it is planned that the families currently living in the house will move there. The existing building will then be demolished and another new building will be built in its place with ten residential units, an underground car park and a kindergarten. The plans had already existed for several years. “We first thought about getting a replacement property in Cologne, but that is almost impossible.” With the new construction of the second part of the ensemble, which will offer rental apartments, the aim is to address the housing shortage in the city in a small way .
The design for the new building ensemble comes from Friedrich Wassermann Projektentwicklung and the Cologne architectural firm Schulte-Architekten; In the architectural competition he prevailed against three other designs. The two four-story, slightly outwardly curved new buildings frame the central, park-like “middle place” like two protective hands, which will offer space for relaxation as well as exchange and encounters.
Support for cycling and swimming courses
The Adelheid House now received some external support from the Frechen Rolf Lappe Foundation: its chairman Franz Stratmann and Vera Friemel handed over a symbolic check for 5,000 euros to house manager Lochmann and SkF board chairwoman Ute Theisen. The amount is earmarked for cycling and swimming courses for the families in the house. It is repeatedly shown that the young parents, some of whom also have a refugee background, show a lot of willingness to learn and ambition, emphasizes Lochmann. “We find that many people are very curious. Our offers in this regard are literally being taken up.”
2024-02-26 08:39:28
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