IHK decides on new construction at Ludwigsplatz

Ludwigshafen. The members of the General Assembly (GA) of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) for the Palatinate have unanimously decided to demolish and rebuild the IHK building at Ludwigsplatz.

The IHK submitted the building application in February 2023 after completing the planning approval process to avoid delays. The final decision had been postponed because, in 2022, due to global crises, the IHK was unable to secure fixed-price offers as desired. A high proportion of price adjustment clauses would have resulted in significant cost uncertainty.

Now, the General Assembly has approved the lump-sum price proposed by the bidding consortium led by the Schifferstadt-based company Heberger. In recent months, the plans have been further optimized, identifying cost-saving potentials. The costs for demolition and reconstruction amount to approximately 45 million euros net. The planned building meets the requirements of a modern working environment—both functionally and technically, as well as ecologically. Financing will primarily be managed through a regional banking consortium.

The new building will house both the IHK Pfalz and its training center, which is currently located on Bahnhofstraße. This consolidation will create synergies, particularly in the use of event spaces. A study showed that the lifecycle costs for a new building would be lower than the maintenance costs of the two existing IHK buildings, which, despite high maintenance expenses, have a significant backlog of investment needs. During the decision-making process, a renovation was also thoroughly evaluated but did not present a cost-effective or sustainable alternative.

In June 2023, the approximately 130 IHK employees will relocate from Ludwigsplatz to their interim quarters at Rheinallee 18–20. The new building is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2026. Until then, the training center on Bahnhofstraße will remain operational and will be sold after the move.