On October 29, 2004, construction of the ALEXA shopping and leisure center located in the heart of Berlin began with an official groundbreaking ceremony. Sonae Imobiliária and Foncière Euris are the center´s two investors and developers.The investment volume totals € 500 million, of which the shopping and leisure center, with its opening scheduled for autumn 2006, accounts for approx. € 290 million.
Sonae Imobiliária and Foncière Euris were represented by Fernando Oliveira, member of the executive board of Sonae Imobiliária, and Pierre Féraud, chairman of the executive board of Foncière Euris. They were joined by Thies-Martin Brandt, chairman of the executive board of DEGEWO, in celebrating the first symbolic cut of the spade in the company of Berlin´s governing Mayor, Klaus Wowereit, the borough Mayor of Berlin Mitte, Joachim Zeller, and many other guests.
Klaus Wowereit about the start of the project: “The construction of the new shopping and leisure mall is a positive sign for Berlin’s centre. Alex will be enhanced by this major investment, and I am pleased by each new job that is created as a consequence.”
“Degewo has improved the urban development in Berlin with various projects. As we could win Sonae Imobiliária as investor and developer for Berlin, we have made one of the biggest marketing successes of the last years within the local retail estate market.” stated DEGEWO board member Thies-Martin Brandt.
A further highlight of the ceremony was the proclamation of the center’s name, which has long been eagerly awaited by the public. Fernando Oliveira on the choice of name: “By naming the center ALEXA, we want to honour Alexanderplatz. The square is famed throughout the world