The Lindhorst Group, a family-run group of companies with activities in the construction and real estate business areas, among others, recently signed the general contractor agreement for the extensive renovation of the Ems district in Meppen with the construction specialist MBN, Georgsmarienhütte II branch. This also lays the foundation for the start of the renovation work, which will follow the gutting of the areas to be rebuilt, which began in October 2025, and the static dismantling from the beginning of 2026.
“The new lease agreements for the retail and hotel space concluded in the course of the last few months have once again made technical replanning necessary, which was an essential basis for the GC award to MBN. Unfortunately, this has led to delays,” explains Angelina Graudons, project manager for the conversion of the Ems Quarter at the Lindhorst Group, and gives an outlook: “Even before the start of the renovation, we were already able to let just under 90 percent of the space on a permanent basis, and we are also holding intensive discussions for the remaining rental units. In October, the gutting work began first, which will now be followed by static dismantling at the beginning of 2026. This will be followed by the construction of the wooden façade, including window and roofing work, as well as the technical and non-technical finishing. The aim is to have the opening of the entire quarter take place in the second quarter of 2027, with individual areas to be completed earlier. From the summer of 2027, the Ems-Quartier will then be fully available to the citizens of Meppen with its broad mix of uses for everyday life.”
Branch manager Carsten Völkerding of MBN GmbH, is looking forward to a new challenge for his team: “We can already look back on a long cooperation with companies from the Lindhorst Group and are very pleased that we can now also contribute our know-how to this demanding conversion project after numerous new construction projects for inpatient care and serviced living. The new mixed-use concept for this established location with its numerous well-known tenants already speaks for itself. In addition, there are the high energy requirements that are being targeted, which will also be particularly characteristic of the new Ems Quarter. We are looking forward to working together at this high technical level.”
About the revitalisation project Ems-Quartier Meppen – Focus on sustainability
The former shopping centre has already been emptied and is now being converted into a sustainable “mixed-use quarter” with a new mix of uses under the name Ems-Quartier Meppen. In the future, the approx. 23,000 square meters of space are planned to be used by tenants from the retail, gastronomy, office, fitness, B&BHOTELS segments as well as by the Emsland Music School and the underground car park.
In addition to B&B HOTELS, REWE, Deichmann, Woolworth, a well-known fitness studio operator, Valora with a kiosk and the Emsland Music School have already been confirmed as tenants for the Ems district. The company HBB Centermanagement GmbH & Co. KG is the contact for letting at this location.
The location of the Ems district is characterized by the border on the central Bahnhofstraße in the northwest of the city of Meppen as well as by its direct location on the southern tributary of the Ems. This will make the property a link between the central station and the old town. In the immediate vicinity of the Ems district, the city has designated the new redevelopment area “Rechts der Ems”. Around 1,000 new residential units are to be built here by 2030.
468 parking spaces on two levels in the underground car park ensure convenient access to the Ems district regardless of the weather.
Sustainability is at the heart of the revitalisation
From the very beginning, it was a central concern for the Lindhorst Group to preserve as much of the existing building fabric as possible. This approach conserves valuable resources and avoids the use of grey energy and the additional emission of emissions. The planned interventions are limited to the bare minimum, while targeted measures, such as a partial lowering of the roof, create new possibilities for use and at the same time create a green, light-flooded inner courtyard.
An important goal is the BREEAM certification of the property with the desired classification “Excellent”. These include the integration of a photovoltaic system on the roof and the optimisation of operating costs.
Another focus is on regionality: The small-scale and very individual retail offer of the nearby old town is sensibly supplemented by the new EQM with well-known chain stores. In order to promote the local economy, regional construction companies and service providers in particular will continue to be involved in the project development. This holistic concept combines ecological, economic and social sustainability and gives the project a forward-looking character.
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