AUTHOR Andreas Klocke
PUBLISHED 25. FEB 2025
Forum
The history of the Forum in Lüdenscheid is marked by ups and downs. It all began in 1979 with the opening of the Franz furniture store in the first construction phase. A year later, in 1980, the second construction phase was completed as a shopping and leisure center, known as the Knödler Forum. In 1981, the leisure pool was opened, and in 1983 the Stadtmitte parking garage was added.
The first renovation of the Forum took place in 1984 for around 2.5 million DM.
But by 1985, a rapid decline had begun, characterized by increasing vacancies, vandalism and littering. In 1987, Knödler bought the Forum again, but his concept of converting it into a “market hall” failed. In 1988, the Forum was auctioned and acquired by Wächter & Partner Immobilien GmbH from Berlin. In 1989/90 the parking garage was auctioned off to the Lüdenscheid municipal utilities. In 1990 Wächter had the passages rebuilt and the entrance area redesigned.
From 1990 to 1993 the Forum experienced a brief boom, helped by the closure of the City Center. In 1992 Peek & Cloppenburg took over the former premises of Möbel Franz. But from 1994 to 2018 the decline accelerated again, marked by changing owners and neglected maintenance.
In 2004 Peek & Cloppenburg closed its branch. In 2006-2007 the leisure pool was closed and converted into a children’s play area. In 2008 the former leisure pool and the city center parking garage were sold to Lanber (Bertram Allen). In 2009 TK Maxx moved in as the successor to Peek & Cloppenburg. In 2013 the children’s play area closed and this area has been empty since then. In 2015, the Forum was put up for auction. Since 2018, the building has been completely vacant, with the exception of the TK Maxx branch. In 2019, Highstreet Deutschland S.C.S. became the new owner of the TK Maxx building.
Most recently, in 2024, the city of Lüdenscheid acquired the Forum and former leisure pool components, while STL Bauträger- und Beteiligungs-GmbH became the new owner of the Weststrasse parking garage. This marks the beginning of a new era for the Forum.