24.04.2026
Industrial monument Salzmann in Bettenhausen – Groundbreaking Ceremony for a new residential neighborhood in Kassel-Bettenhausen
- Renovation of the historic factory building to create 96 units of affordable housing is already underway in accordance with historic preservation guidelines and the KfW 55 EE standard
- The compassio senior residence, with 163 beds for long-term care as well as short-term and respite care, is already under construction
- A total of 152 largely subsidized apartments, 96 assisted living units, and 163 nursing care beds are being created
- Completion of the first construction phases in the fourth quarter of 2027
- A new, vibrant hub for all generations is taking shape in Bettenhausen
- Housing, care facilities, small businesses, a supermarket, restaurants, cultural offerings, and spaces for leisure and recreation are planned for the site
- An investment of up to 100 million euros is planned for the entire project
Hamburg/Kassel-Bettenhausen, 24 April 2026. A ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony was held yesterday to lay the foundation stone for the new compassio senior residence on the grounds of the Salzmann Industrial Monument residential complex in Kassel-Bettenhausen. The event not only marked the start of construction for the modern care facility but also serves as a symbolic first milestone in the development of the entire site into a new, vibrant residential neighborhood and a focal point in the Bettenhausen district.
In the presence of Kassel’s Mayor Dr. Sven Schoeller and City Planning Commissioner Simone Fedderke, the traditional time capsule was lowered into the foundation together with other project participants from the developer Cureus, the future operator of the senior living and care services, compassio, and the company MBN as the general contractor for the new construction of the residence. In addition to the ceremony itself, the approximately 150 guests were provided with detailed information about the new residential complex and given a first look at the construction site. Cureus will serve as the general contractor for the subsequent construction phases. The new residential complex is being built at Sandershäuser Straße 34 in 34123 Kassel (Hesse).
“With the development of the Salzmann site, a long-awaited vision for the future is becoming a reality for the city of Kassel. In eastern Kassel, this marks the beginning of a new and attractive chapter in urban development. The historic industrial monument will be preserved to a high standard, while at the same time creating a quality of housing and living in the neighborhood that meets the needs of diverse population groups, particularly older people and low-income households. We are very pleased about this,” said Mayor Sven Schoeller, expressing his gratitude for the excellent cooperation with the participating companies.
“The revitalization of the Salzmann site is a key project for Kassel’s urban development,” says Kassel’s City Planning Commissioner Simone Fedderke. “It is impressive to see how the balance between preserving our industrial heritage and creating modern, urgently needed housing is being achieved here. With the combination of heritage-sensitive renovation to high energy standards and a wide range of options—from subsidized housing to long-term care—we are sending a strong signal for an inclusive and vibrant Bettenhausen. This neighborhood will become a new anchor point for all generations in our city, not only architecturally but above all socially.”
“The ceremony underscores the significance of this construction project for local urban planning: we are creating a living space that combines historic and modern architecture with social responsibility,” says Roman Fabel Hansen, project manager at Cureus, adding: “Both the renovation of the historic factory and the first new building currently under construction are proceeding exactly according to plan. The various trades are working hand in hand across the expansive site; we hope this continues and look forward with optimism to the on-time completion of the first construction phases in the fourth quarter of 2027.”
Uwe Frey, branch manager at MBN GmbH, which is responsible as the general contractor for the new construction of the senior residence, is optimistic about the ongoing project: “Once again, we are approaching this project using the Cureus system methodology. We look back on many years of successful collaboration and are all the more delighted about this very special location with its historic charm. Now that the cornerstone has been successfully laid, we will move into the structural construction phase, so that the residence can be seen growing bit by bit.”
Johannes Knake, CPO (Managing Director) at compassio, on the new location: “We are delighted to be part of this special residential neighbourhood, which is now emerging as a new social hub in Bettenhausen. With our provision of full-time residential care in the retirement home and assisted living in the west wing of the former factory building, we are providing the town and the surrounding area with much-needed capacity for the care and support of older people. In doing so, we will, of course, work to our high quality standards, which place the well-being of our residents at the centre. But we also attach great importance to the well-being of our future team. Over 100 new, crisis-proof and modern jobs will be created here in the areas of care, administration, building services and support services.”
Pascal Kleine, Managing Director of Pecuria, which is responsible for marketing the assisted living and care apartments to private investors: “Sales of the assisted living units still to be built in the west wing of the former factory building have been underway since the end of 2025. Buyers can benefit here from the fact that we have already secured loans for them in advance at favourable interest rates of 1.66 per cent under KfW’s 261 subsidy programme, which can be transferred to them as part of the purchase. The heritage tax depreciation allowance of initially nine per cent on the renovation costs is also particularly attractive for investors. Purchase prices start from around €215,000. We also have a unique offer: on the one hand, we provide a sustainable investment solution with new-build properties constructed to high KfW standards or, in this case, a historic building renovated to the same high standards. Furthermore, the Pecuria security against rent default – unique on the market – offers buyers income security in economically turbulent times. And with our priority right of occupancy for a care place at one of our partners throughout Germany, the offer also includes an excellent social component for buyers. We have also just initiated sales preparations for the residential care apartments in the retirement home on the site. Further information on this will follow in due course.”
Modern compasio senior residence to be built in the southern part of the site
The U-shaped building for the senior residence is being constructed as a new four-storey development from the start of 2026 until summer 2027, following the typical Cureus approach to care property development. MBN GmbH is acting as the main contractor for this phase of construction.
A total of approx. 9,170 square metres of barrier-free gross floor area is being constructed to the KfW’s energy-saving Efficiency House 40 standard. Heating will be provided via the municipal district heating network, and a photovoltaic system is planned for the green roof. With its linear and modern façade featuring generous glass elements and a coordinated colour scheme of white and light grey plaster tones, the building will blend seamlessly into the surrounding area.
The experienced operator compassio will be responsible for the running of the facility and the allocation of care places. In addition to long-term residential care, short-term and respite care will also be offered at this location. The residence will create over 100 full-time and part-time jobs in the areas of care, administration, building services and support services.
The senior residence will feature 163 modern and spacious single rooms. 64 of these rooms are not only barrier-free but also wheelchair-accessible. All care rooms have their own en-suite bathroom with a toilet, as well as a nurse call system and connections for telephone, internet and television. To foster a friendly and social atmosphere, the rooms are divided into seven independently organised residential groups.
On the ground floor of the building, behind the welcoming, hotel-style entrance area with reception and foyer, there is a library where residents can relax and a spacious residents’ restaurant with its own kitchen and sun terrace. Furthermore, the property will feature an in-house laundry for residents’ laundry, a care and wellness bath, as well as therapy and doctors’ rooms, a hairdresser and a chiropodist. Four bicycle parking spaces and 17 car parking spaces – six of which are accessible for disabled people – with charging infrastructure are also planned.
The apartments for residential care within the retirement home will be sold individually to investors in 2026, in line with the principle of a freehold flat, via the sales partner Pecuria GmbH.
Renovation work is underway in the historic factory building to create 96 social housing units
In the north wing of the five-storey former factory building along Sandershäuser Straße, approx. 5,930 square metres of social housing is being created to modern standards for low- and middle-income households. Cureus is acting as the main contractor for this phase of construction, which is subject to heritage conservation requirements. Completion is expected in autumn 2027.
In future, 96 bright flats ranging in size from 39 to 83 square metres are planned here. The new residential units will comprise one to three rooms and will feature a living-kitchen area, a modern shower room, a hallway, storage space and a loggia. Lifts will connect the floors alongside the historic stairwells.
On the lower ground floor of the factory building, 33 parking spaces for motor vehicles – some of which will be accessible for disabled users and equipped for e-mobility – and 161 bicycle parking spaces are planned for this construction phase. Access will be via Agathofstraße.
The apartments will subsequently be let by the Lindhorst Group’s management company in collaboration with the Kassel municipal housing agency. For enquiries, please contact us on 05143 9810 0 or via vermietung-aur@lindhorst-gruppe.de.
Plans also include assisted living and cultural spaces within the factory building
The south-facing wing on the west side of the factory will be converted into 96 units of senior-friendly assisted living accommodation, comprising a total of approx. 8,630 square metres of residential and usable floor space. compassio will take over the letting of the flats and the care of the residents once construction is complete. The individual apartments are planned to have one or two rooms for living and sleeping, as well as cooking facilities, a barrier-free shower room, a hallway, a balcony or terrace and a storage room, ranging in size from 33 to 67 square metres. Access to the building and floors is planned to be barrier-free and equipped with lifts. Sales of the units via Pecuria are already underway. Buyers benefit from favourable interest rates of 1.66 per cent under KfW’s 261 subsidy programme, which can be transferred to them as part of the purchase. In addition, investors are also eligible for the heritage building depreciation allowance of initially nine per cent on the renovation costs. Purchase prices start from around €215,000. View the property brochure…
The striking tower building at the eastern end of the north wing is being refurbished for use as cultural and commercial space. Around 1,500 square metres of floor space will be available for this purpose in future. Close consultation is taking place with the City of Kassel regarding the letting and use of this space.
On the lower ground floor of the entire factory building, 82 parking spaces for motor vehicles – some of which are accessible for disabled users and equipped for e-mobility – and 365 spaces for bicycles are planned. Access will be via a newly planned access road that will lead into Agathofstraße.
Renovation of the west wing and the tower block will commence as soon as all the necessary conditions have been met.
The renovation of the entire existing building will be carried out in accordance with the specific energy standards of the KfW 55EE programme. This involves installing new windows with high insulation values and partially insulating the facades from the inside. Heating will be provided via the municipal district heating network. This will ensure that the former factory building is refurbished in a sustainable and climate-friendly manner.
The restoration and preservation of the factory building in accordance with heritage standards encompasses not only the characteristic clinker brick façades, the generous window areas on the façades and the architecturally and historically valuable skylight halls – which, contrary to earlier plans, will now be preserved in their entirety as cold storage rooms – but also the distinctive roofs themselves, as well as the traditional and iconic ‘Salzmann & Comp.’ signage on the western gable end.
The location in Kassel
The historically significant Salzmann site is situated on Sandershäuser Straße, which leads directly onto Leipziger Straße. It provides a direct link between the district of Bettenhausen and the city centre on the River Fulda, just two kilometres away, where you’ll find the main railway station, the old town with its numerous shopping opportunities, and a wide range of public, cultural and social facilities, as well as churches. The Karlsaue City Park, the Auebad Kassel, the Buga site and the Auestadion Kassel are also situated on the nearby River Fulda. Furthermore, tram and bus stops are available in the vicinity of the newly developing Salzmann Industrial Heritage Site residential complex, ensuring regular connections to the city centre and the green surrounding area. Within walking distance, another listed building, the Haferkakao factory, is also set to be renovated by a different investor into a vibrant hub for residential, service and commercial use, featuring extensive green spaces, in a manner befitting its heritage status.
About the site of the former Salzmann factory
Development of the site, which currently covers around 36,500 square metres, began in 1876 with the brick building of the former textile factory “Salzmann & Comp.”, which still stands today. By 1890, the production of tents and accessories was already thriving, leading to the construction of further factory buildings on the site over the following decades, with up to 5,000 employees working there in total. When the factory closed in 1971, the site was initially converted into an industrial estate, before it began to enrich the life of the city of Kassel from 1987 onwards as a cultural centre offering a wide range of activities. In 2007, the increasingly dilapidated property changed hands, and the investor had plans to build an event arena and an administrative centre. Neither of these plans came to fruition, and in 2012 demolition began on the production halls, which were not listed as historic buildings. When the Lindhorst Group became involved in the planning in the 2020s, the focus shifted to a mix of affordable housing, accommodation for the elderly, complementary commercial space, cultural facilities and sufficient parking for the future use of the historic site. This new mix has now been worked out in detail following the Lindhorst Group/Cureus’s full takeover of the project and is currently being implemented to revitalise the old Salzmann factory as an attractive development concept for the city and its residents, serving as the new centre of the Bettenhausen district.
