MAIN-TAUNUS-ZENTRUM
NEW FOOD
GARDEN
At the Main-Taunus-Zentrum in Sulzbach, just outside Frankfurt, a new Food Garden is being built on the former site of a Karstadt department store. Covering an area of around 7,000 m², the Food Garden will comprise five freestanding restaurant buildings with a mix of covered and open-air outdoor dining areas, attractive green spaces, and sophisticated architecture. Construction had barely begun before it was fully let. ECE was able to secure wellknown restaurant chains including Alex, the pizza and pasta restaurant L’Osteria, the steakhouse The Ash, and popular noodle bar MoschMosch as new tenants. The owners, Deutsche EuroShop and a closed-end real estate fund, are investing around 28 million euros in the new Food Garden. The topping-out ceremony took place in April 2024 and the project is due to be completed in spring 2025. //
7.000 m²
FOOD GARDEN WITH A VARIED RANGE OF RESTAURANTS
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A new 7,000 m² Food Garden with five freestanding restaurant buildings is being built at the Main-Taunus-Zentrum.
3 QUESTIONS FOR:
Hans-Peter Kneip
Member of the Executive Board, Deutsche EuroShop AG
#1
What makes the Main-Taunus-Zentrum (MTZ) a perfect example of good center management?
he MTZ strikes the right balance between innovative center management and operations and developing the center so that it maintains its value over the longer term. The new Food Garden will make the MTZ a place where people not only come to shop but also to enjoy meals together. That’s particularly important given the large catchment area and how much time customers spend at the center.
#2
What role does sustainability play?
We don’t see sustainability and profitability, or shopping experiences and environmental awareness, as opposites. That’s why we’re investing heavily in sustainability at our existing properties and in new developments like the Food Garden – because it’s worth it.
#3
How is your working relationship with ECE?
It’s been a trusting, dependable partnership for more than 23 years. At Deutsche EuroShop, we value ECE’s experience and extensive knowledge of the German and international markets, which we benefit from as we expand our portfolio.
ESG-Spotlight
The comprehensive sustainability plan is worthy of particular note. Developed by ECE and acclaimed partners including ATP sustain and Werner Sobek, it ensures that construction of the Food Garden will be close to climate-neutral – and that net carbon emissions will be kept to a minimum after it opens too. The project will make use of climate-friendly construction materials (all buildings will have timber frames) and energy-saving technologies.
Building on the environmentally friendly construction and design of the new Food Garden, the next step will be to refurbish and update other areas of the center, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2024.