The end of military use at the GFZ barracks had already become apparent in 2002. At that time, the city had already passed a resolution on the development plan "Conversion measure GFZ barracks (O 53)" and made it public.

In an initial urban development framework plan from 2003, the building committee defined the basic principles of urban development. However, the military use of the site did not go ahead. In 2016, this framework plan was updated and adapted to the current circumstances. At its meeting on November 29, 2017, the city council approved the updated urban development framework plan "Conversion Measure GFZ Barracks (O 53)" and commissioned the administration to hold an urban development and open space planning competition on this basis.

Based on the updated urban development framework plan, an urban development and open space planning competition was announced. On August 23, 2018, the jury awarded first prize to the competition entry by architects Hähnig Gemmeke and Stefan Fromm Landscape Architects from Tübingen. Overall, the jury praised the design as a "particularly successful entry." This design will form the basis for further urban development.

For the first time in Mainz, the public also had the opportunity to view the anonymized competition entries during the ongoing competition process, even before the jury meeting, and to submit general comments, which were then presented to the jury.

The state capital of Mainz is currently implementing the "New City Quarter Former GFZ Barracks (O 53)" development plan with the aim of creating a mixed-use quarter that will provide urgently needed housing as well as development opportunities for research and technology applications. The urban design that emerged from the competition forms the basis for obtaining building rights. At the same time, the procedure for amendment no. 13 to the land use plan is being carried out.