Major progress on this large-scale development: 1,000 new apartments and 1,000 jobs are being created at the Papieri site. The first rentals went live on February 10.
The four-person team headed up by William White, Head of Asset & Site Management, and Vivienne Bertelsen, Real Estate Manager, will oversee the lettings.
Right now, the site is a hive of activity, with cranes and excavators hard at work. The show apartment right in the middle of the construction site is currently being finished. It is spacious and inviting. The heart of this home is the kitchen, with an open-plan design that flows into the living and dining zones. With its semi-covered balcony, this main space is large and convivial. In addition, there are two bedrooms, both almost square in shape, plus two stylish bathrooms with chic black flagstones, and a separate laundry space with its own stacked washing and drying appliances. White and Bertelsen would both love to move into a 9th-floor apartment with south-facing views. «It’s a good thing there’s two of them,”»jokes White.
«But you can drink in the views of the mountains, Lake Zug and the incredible sunsets from the lower floors, too.»
William White
On the ground floor of the same building, the rooms have such high ceilings that some of the commercial spaces have a mezzanine level, so the future tenants can be spread across two floors.
The following properties will be marketed for rental during the first phase:
Commercial premises and studios on the ground floors of Buildings A, L, and PM1–4 launch on February 10
Affordable apartments in Building A launch on March 10
Standard-priced apartments in Building A go live in early April
The first tenants will gradually start to move in from fall/winter 2022. Some 75% of the properties on the Papieri development will be residential.
Some of the commercial spaces have such high ceilings that the tenants can spread out across the main floor and a mezzanine area.
The first stage will be the letting of commercial premises and apartments in Buildings A, L and PM1–4 in turn.
Building A will be ready for occupation from this fall. A total of 163 apartments will be available for rental to suitable tenants. Finding a great mix of residents is a major area of focus for the Papieri development. Whether you're interested in a commercial space or an apartment, simply sign up to the list of prospective tenants and subscribe to the newsletter. That way, you’ll automatically receive a link to apply for your dream property in advance of the official marketing launch. Bertelsen adds, «We’re looking forward to showing off the rental properties to prospective tenants. We will be doing this for individuals and small groups – viewings will take place on an active construction site so there are certain hazards, and we have to comply with the safety precautions.»
«These apartments will ensure a social mix within the neighborhood.»
Vivienne Bertelsen
The 30 affordable apartments for prospective tenants with lower incomes will go live for lettings from March 10. Please see the website for the eligibility requirements. Vivienne Bertelsen says, «These apartments will ensure a social mix within the neighborhood and will be rented out to people on lower incomes who cannot afford a new apartment at the standard market rate. We’re looking forward to receiving applications for these homes.»
One of the biggest daycare centers in the canton of Zug is also being established at Papieri. It will look after the children who live on the development and provide a wonderful place for them to have fun and let off steam. Julie Andermatt and her business partners will open the daycare center in 2024. William White says, «A new neighborhood like Papieri Cham needs certain basic facilities, and that’s what we’re providing here.» In the later phases of construction, these will include a flagship restaurant in the former boiler house and stores for residents’ day-to-day shopping needs.
When asked what kinds of business they’re hoping to attract here, White says, «We’re keen to have a florist on the ground floor of Building L, a high-rise that’s still under construction. This would add a splash of color at the very entrance to the building and bring a real sense of cheer to the development. Generally speaking, we simply want tenants that will make the neighborhood a vibrant place to be from day to day.»
Smart living panels for individual heating and lighting control are just part of the sustainable approach to energy use.
Sustainability and low carbon emissions are also a major area of focus. This commitment has paid off: the Papieri development recently became the first site in the canton to be awarded 2000-Watt site certification. The future tenants will definitely see the difference, and they certainly won’t have to worry about the cold in winter: Papieri generates its own heat and can even cool its properties on hot days, using energy from the Lorze river and geothermal probe arrays. And that’s not all: the site’s very own hydroelectric power plant and solar panels on all the roofs will provide electricity. Thanks to the smart living concept, tenants will be able to check and regulate their energy consumption with ease via a tablet. Lighting, heating and shading elements all work together efficiently to lower consumption. There’s also a vacation mode for the heating, and tenants can control their heating system from wherever they are via smartphone to save energy.
Papieri’s proximity to glorious natural surroundings and its riverside location are other plus points of the new neighborhood. «The new footbridge over the Lorze will connect the north and south banks. The riverside areas will become a lovely place to hang out and take a stroll, with benches for resting and outdoor fitness equipment for anyone who feels like a spot of exercise – Papieri’s very own Muscle Beach,» grins White.
«The Papieri development is also committed to future-forward mobility, with an array of transport-sharing options»
For instance, those just making the quick trip to Cham train station can rent an electric bike or scooter. If residents need to do a big shop in a car, they can make the most of the on-site car-sharing scheme and drive an electric car straight from Papieri. Some outdoor parking spaces have fast-charging stations for electric cars, while the underground parking lots also have the technology in place. Papieri also has great public transport connections, with Zug, Lucerne and Zurich all within easy reach. For weekend trips, you can get up into the surrounding mountains or head to one of the many lakes in the local area in no time at all.
A lot of thought has gone into the outdoor spaces and communal areas here, too. At the heart of the development is the large Papieri Platz, with its water features and lovely playground for little ones, complete with ride-on airplanes, a ropes course and a giant slide. In summer, the area outside the former boiler house makes a lovely spot for a refreshing drink beneath the trees. All of this means that besides Papieri residents, people from the surrounding areas are also bound to flock here.
What are they looking forward to the most once the neighborhood is complete? William White and Vivienne Bertelsen laugh. The team still has a lot of work ahead of them before the first residents and businesspeople are able to move in. But they’re looking forward to seeing the new neighborhood come to life, with people living and working here at last. Their presence alone will add to the special atmosphere of this new district of town.
«Papieri is becoming a lively part of Cham and a new place to get together. The Papierigleisweg, a pedestrian and cycle path that opened at the end of last year, is just a five-minute walk from Neudorf.»
William White extols Papieri’s closeness to nature: the River Lorze flows right through the development, with a lovely promenade alongside.
