Papieri Biberist – The quarter of tomorrow is created today
The area of the former paper mill is to become a lively quarter in which different work and living areas coexist.
In mid-2012, Hiag acquired the premises of the former paper mill in Biberist. The area with around 277,000 m² of industrial space was used for paper production for a good 150 years. Accordingly, it is very well anchored as an industrial location in the region and is considered a development area of cantonal importance. The area is strategically located along the A1 and A5, between the metropolitan areas of Zurich, Basel and Bassin lémanique. Within the Solothurn industrial cluster, the Papieri area benefits from the networking with numerous companies and research institutions as well as a unique, high-performance infrastructure on the area. In addition to the largely commercial-industrial use, places are to be created on the area where work, culture and leisure uses as well as living can be found.
Revitalization of the area
In cooperation with the municipality and the canton, work is being carried out on the transition to a binding sub-zone plan: "The sub-zone plan is currently being revised, which will encompass the entire area perimeter," says the responsible site developer Michele Muccioli to Immo! Nvest. “We expect 12 to 18 months before the zoning plan becomes legally binding. After three complete lines of paper machines have been sold in the past few years, the remaining lines are currently being sold. In addition, the settlement and provision of usable space will continue to be promoted. " Around 20 companies are currently located on the site, and around 120 people have their workplaces on the paper. Companies from a wide variety of areas are located here. The next step is the partial opening of the area in the area of the Biberist Ost train station. The aim is to activate and revitalize the area. According to Muccioli, this is now possible because the sales and dismantling of the large machines have now been completed.