A neighborhood development project featuring 200 apartments and 1,000 jobs received overwhelming support at the polls.
Editorial
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June 16, 2026
The winning design for the EWB site, unveiled several years ago (rendering: EWB)
Voters in the city of Bern have approved the zoning plan for the EWB/BLS site in Ausserholligen. With nearly 80% of the vote in favor, the proposal was approved, and the commitment credit for the acquisition of the Monbijou site from Energie Wasser Bern (EWB) was approved by approximately 74% of the vote. In the Ausserholligen development priority area, the groundwork has thus been laid for a new neighborhood center with over 200 cooperative apartments and more than 1,000 jobs, including the new EWB headquarters. «Today’s »yes’ vote enables the creation of an open, urban, and mixed-use part of the city and further advances the important urban development area of Ausserholligen,” says Mayor Marieke Kruit. Four high-rise buildings are planned to serve as urban landmarks. In addition, unlike today, the entire site will be open to the public.
The commitment credit intended to finance the purchase of EWB’s current properties amounts to approximately CHF 63 million. The properties are located on Monbijou Street and Sulgeneck Street. The purchase will take place as soon as EWB has relocated its headquarters to the «Ausserholligen VI» site. «With EWB’s move to Ausserholligen, the centrally located Monbijou site offers development opportunities for the city,» says City Councilor Melanie Mettler, Director of Finance, Human Resources, and Information Technology.
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