Detail

Campus - 30.10.2018 - 00:00 

Advisory Committee supports Platztor Campus

The Advisory Committee is supporting the planned Platztor Campus site of the University of St.Gallen and the construction plans amounting to 207 million francs. The Platztor Campus site will enable the sustainable development of the University of St.Gallen and create urgently needed teaching and research facilities for basic education.
Source: HSG Newsroom

30 October 2018. The spatial development of the University of St.Gallen is strategically important and pressing. The Platztor Campus will provide versatile and future-oriented facilities for teaching and research within an urban environment, bringing the city and the university closer together and revitalising the currently isolated, unused Platztor area within the urban fabric. Areas occupied by the university on the Rosenberg are due to be returned to residential use.

Additional teaching and research space required

The Advisory Committee under the chairmanship of Cantonal Councillor Peter Boppart from Andwil has been dealing with the expansion of the University of St.Gallen and the construction plans for the Platztor Campus, with the discussion centred around the regional and economic significance of the University of St.Gallen, the operational and spatial requirements, and the construction plans at the earmarked site. The Committee has sought comprehensive information from the construction department concerning the cost evaluation according to the new property management. There is no dispute over the regional significance of the university for the location of St.Gallen, as well as the need for expansion and the strategic and spatial development of the university associated with this, but the development of student numbers underlying the expansion and the corresponding spatial needs have come under scrutiny. In relation to this, the Advisory Committee welcomes the fact that the University is not commissioning any buildings to provide spare capacity.

Construction expected to begin in 2024

The overall costs of the construction of the Platztor Campus amount to around 207 million francs. Once the expected contributions from the Confederation, the University and the City of St.Gallen are deducted, the costs remaining for the canton are around 160 million francs as a cost ceiling. Following a successful popular vote, the mandatory architecture competition, and the definitive planning, construction work is likely to start in 2024 and to be concluded by the end of 2027.

The Cantonal Council will consider the plans in the coming November session for the first reading and in the session of February 2019 for the second reading. If the Cantonal Council approves the plans, the population is likely to be called to vote on the development on 30 June 2019.

north