Building Project for Culture Palace Set at €10 Million - Catering Service from Elbe No Longer Part of Plans
Rieckhof Transforms into Cultural Palace Harburg amidst Significant Renovation
Harburg, Germany - The former Lotto King Karl's "living room," known as the Rieckhof, is undergoing a substantial transformation and is now being called the Cultural Palace. The historic event center, which fell under monument protection in 2021, is due for extensive renovation and modernization, with completion expected by the end of 2025.
The project, which includes an energy-efficient facelift and windows, as well as an overall modernization of the building, will cost approximately €10 million. Approximately half of this amount, around €5 million, will come from RISE funds.
On Wednesday, a group of dignitaries, including Senator for Urban Development Karen Pein, State Councilor Dr. Alexander von Vogel, Social Affairs Director Dr. Anke Jobmann, Jens Kerkhoff, Managing Director of Building Management Hamburg, Holger Böhm, Chairman of the District Assembly, and Dörte Inselmann, representing the Cultural Palace Harburg, inspected the progress of the modernization work. They buried a time capsule at the event to mark the occasion.
The modernization aims to renovate the event hall, group rooms, entrance areas, and sanitary facilities on the ground and first floors. Apart from cosmetic changes, the event technology, ventilation, and parts of the roof will also be renewed. The plans were developed in consultation with the monument protection authority, ensuring the heritage of the cultural monument is preserved.
The Cultural Palace, which opened in 1984, will improve its usage possibilities once the renovation is complete. However, during the renovation period, the palace will hold a minimal program at the Old Fire Station in the Niels-Stensen-Gymnasium until the end of May. Afterward, plans for the location remain uncertain.
A notable change will be in the catering services. For 25 years, the Elbe workshops managed the catering in the Rieckhof. As of now, Elbe Catering has relocated to Cuxhavener Straße 22, a facility of Elbe Werkstätten GmbH. Jan Reinholdt, head of Elbe Catering, explained that the operator of the Cultural Palace no longer wished to grant them the gastronomy monopoly, preferring to run part of the gastronomy themselves.
The modernization of the Cultural Palace Harburg signifies an investment in the future, aiming to preserve its cultural significance while making it a more vibrant and integral part of the community.
- The transformation of the Cultural Palace, previously known as Rieckhof, will encompass various aspects of modern life, including sustainable living, travel, fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, and home-and-garden.
- As part of the renovation, the event technology and ventilation systems will be upgraded, making the Cultural Palace a reliable venue for a diverse range of events and activities.
- The revamped Cultural Palace will boast a selection of shops catering to the tastes and needs of its visitors, creating an ideal setting for shopping experiences.
- Car enthusiasts will enjoy the revitalized surroundings, as the Cultural Palace, upon completion, is expected to host events related to cars, further enriching the local cultural scene.
