HOCHTIEF Construction AG has further strengthened its position in the shopping center segment in Germany. In the last four months the company has acquired three major contracts in Hamburg and Lower Saxony. The volume of the projects for general contractor HOCHTIEF is â¬270 million.
Dr. Friedel Abel, Chairman of the Executive Board of HOCHTIEF Construction AG, commented: 'Shopping centers are among the greatest challenges in the building construction sector. This is an area where we can deploy our project management experience to full effect. I am delighted that our clients recognize and appreciate this added value.â
In Hamburg, HOCHTIEF Construction is building the cityâs largest downtown shopping center, the Europa Passage, for client ALIDA Grundstücksgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG. The first five stories, with a total gross floor area of 30,000 m², will house 130 specialized stores and catering outlets. On a further five floors, HOCHTIEF is erecting office premises with a total area of 34,000 m². A five-level underground parking facility provides space for some 700 vehicles. One highlight of the Europa Passage is the 160-meter long mall with its architecturally appealing arches supporting the glass roof. The complex was designed by the renowned architects Bothe Richter Teherani. HOCHTIEF commenced construction work in October 2004. Handover is scheduled for September 2006.
Also in Hamburg, HOCHTIEF Construction is extending and modernizing the Alstertal Shopping Center in the cityâs Poppenbüttel district. The work has to be completed without interrupting day-to-day business in the center. The client is the ECE Group, Hamburg, Europeâs foremost shopping complex developer and operator. Construction work commenced at the beginning of 2005 and will be completed in summer 2007. The contract also includes extending the parking facility and redesigning the exterior precincts.
In Braunschweig, HOCHTIEF Construction has been commissioned as construction manager for a design/build project: the Schloss-Arkaden shopping and services center. Here, too, the client is the ECE Group. One particular challenge for HOCHTIEF here is the reconstruction of the historical facades of what was formerly a royal palace.
There will be three retail stories, offering total sales space of around 30,000 m² and accommodating around 130 outlets, plus parking facilities for some 1,600 vehicles. In the reconstructed palace section of the complex, the city of Braunschweig will house the municipal library, the city archives, a museum and a number of administrative offices and institutions. The project, due to be completed in 2007, is being conducted in line with HOCHTIEF Constructionâs partnership-oriented business model PreFair. This means that the company was able to optimize planning and operations right from an early stage.
In all three projects, HOCHTIEF is increasingly seeking to involve partner companies from the region concerned.
Source: HOCHTIEF
