Together with future tenants and invited guests from the worlds of business, politics and public administration, IVG Immobilien AG yesterday (July 23, 2009) celebrated the topping-out of the Hackesches Quartier in Berlin.
Altogether 160 million were invested here, making it the largest inner city project in the capital this year which is not financed by the government. More than 80% of the office space was let already before construction began.
The project is considered a stroke of luck both for Berlin and for the area itself directly in the heart of Berlin-Mitte and close to the Hackesche Höfe and the Museum Island 20 years since the Wall fell this location was still unused due to the maze-like plots and ownership structures.
IVG Board spokesman Dr. Gerhard Niesslein called attention to this aspect in his speech to the numerous guests attending the ceremony, including Ephraim Gothe from Berlin-Mitte for urban development, the architect Ivan Reimann and leading representatives of the tenants GASAG, NBB, Adina and Scholz & Friends. Jens-Peter Heuer, Secretary of Economic Affairs in Berlin, accentuates that continuing such an ambitioned project development in the historical heart of Berlin in these economical hard times is a welcome sign.
The construction shell for two large structures with 43,000 m² of gross floor space and an underground car park for 324 cars now celebrates its topping out directly at the southern end of the Hackescher Markt station. The ensemble consists of seven different elements of construction in order to give tenants the opportunity to use suitable spaces according to their own needs and as a distinctive address.
"You can't get more central than this!" is how Christian Köhler, Head of IVG Development Berlin, expresses it. The location's excellent public transport links just five minutes from the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station to Berlin's central railway station and just 30 minutes to the new Berlin Brandenburg International BBI airport coupled with cultural attractions, restaurants, cafés and bars, and busy offices make living and working in this part of Berlin so attractive.
The quarter has been designed by several architects led by the Müller Reimann team of architects. The street has been returned to its historic right-angled course. At the same time a lane has been introduced from the S-Bahnhof straight through the quarter in order to create an extremely attractive urban public space.
In the Hackescher Markt Quarter, terraces, balconies, green inner courtyards and rooms for exhibitions, training seminars and other events make living here a pleasure. With its own block heating station and photo-voltaic-system, the project also meets the highest specifications for energy efficiency and environmental protection.
Among the well-known tenants are GASAG Berliner Gaswerke AG, one of the largest regional gas suppliers in Germany, Scholz & Friends AG, Berlins largest communication agency, and the NBB Netzgesellschaft Berlin-Brandenburg mbH & Co. The 'B4' section with 145 luxurious hotel apartments in the southeastern part of the city has already been sold to Adina Europe Ltd., one of the leading operators of serviced apartments in Europe and Australia. A number of retailers have also opted for the ground floor in this location.
Source: IVG Immobilien AG
