The above-ground construction phase has begun for one of the largest inner-city building projects in the Detmold region. The new 'Quartier Hornsches Tor' is being built on an area of approximately 10,000 square metres at the southern entrance to Detmold's Old Town. This project integrates a diverse mix of uses, including retail, office and practice spaces, flats, catering, a hotel, a local food supplier, and an underground car park.
The City of Detmold is the client for the project, together with private investors. The construction realisation of the entire quarter is the responsibility of the company LIST. This collaboration is based on a total contractor agreement signed in January 2026 between the City of Detmold and LIST. The nationally active company handles development, planning, and construction from a single source.
The project is divided into three construction lots, which LIST is implementing under different service models. For the first lot, which includes retail, offices, and residential units, as well as for the second lot, which contains the underground car park and parking area, LIST Develop Commercial acts as the total contractor. The third lot, consisting of a full-range Edeka supermarket and a B&B hotel, will be realised by LIST Bau Bielefeld as the general contractor.
Holistic Project Management and Timeframe
The concentration of development, planning, and execution within the LIST group helps to shorten coordination paths and fosters a shared understanding of quality standards and schedules. This approach is applied by the group across various asset classes. For the Quartier Hornsches Tor, a fixed timeframe has been contractually agreed: completion of the entire building is scheduled for no later than the fourth quarter of 2028.
From the perspective of the City of Detmold, the start of the above-ground construction phase marks the conclusion of a planning and tendering process that lasted more than eleven years. Mayor Frank Hilker emphasised on site that this project will create a diverse offering that will significantly strengthen the city centre and contribute to Detmold's urban future viability.
Anchor Tenants and Ecological Aspects
The fashion house Klingemann from Höxter will occupy more than 3,200 square metres as the anchor tenant of the new commercial building. The offering will be supplemented by a full-range Edeka supermarket, a B&B hotel, and a new inner-city car park with 361 parking spaces. Ecological aspects were already considered during the planning phase to make the quarter sustainable and climate-resilient.
- —Green facades and ecological green roofs
- —Use of water-permeable climate-active stone
- —Underground cisterns for rainwater harvesting
- —Installation of a photovoltaic system on the roof
Following the contract signing in January 2026 and the initial earthworks in September 2026, the groundbreaking ceremony marks the official start of the above-ground construction phase. The next step will involve preparing the building site, followed by work on the underground car park for the new multi-storey car park.
