Construction of the office high-rise building starts in January 2024
The construction work at Alexanderplatz for the modernisation of the Kaufhof department store into the “Galeria Weltstadthaus” and the construction of an office high-rise building is proceeding according to plan. This was announced by the developer Commerz Real and the Senate Administration for Urban Development, Building and Housing. Accordingly, preparations are currently underway for the bodyshell construction of the office tower, which is scheduled to start as early as January 2024. In November 2023, Commerz Real, whose real estate fund hausInvest included the project, announced that the construction company Züblin had been commissioned with the bodyshell work. After completion in 2026, the entire ensemble is expected to have around 100,000 square metres of floor space.
The progress of the works and the planned start of construction of the high-rise building in January 2024 is an important signal for the development of Alexanderplatz and the safeguarding of the department store location. I am pleased that we have a reliable partner at our side with Commerz Real, who will ensure the continuation of the project. Our common goal is to create an attractive and publicly appealing attraction in the centre of Berlin. This is achieved through good architecture and demanding urban development.
As Commerz Real confirms in this context, the urban development contract originally signed by the previous owner Signa Prime was transferred to hausInvest with the sale of the properties in June 2023. This mainly affects the existing rental agreement with the Galeria department store. As it is modernised during operation, temporary closure is not necessary. “From both the fund’s economic point of view and in light of our self-image as a reliable partner of the State of Berlin, we fully support the urban development contract concluded,” emphasises Mario Schüttauf, fund manager of hausInvest. The lease agreement with Galeria Weltstadthaus is therefore not under discussion.
The construction project will be implemented on the basis of the I-B4a development plan for Alexanderplatz adopted by the Senate Administration for Urban Development, Building and Housing in 2000 and the urban development contract concluded by the State of Berlin with the project-executing agency in 2022. The design of the Kleihues and Kleihues office was closely coordinated with the Berlin Building College. Important project features, such as an innovative sustainability concept, the publicly accessible roof terrace and areas for public use are in line with the high-rise building mission statement for Berlin.
Located in an absolutely central location and perfectly connected from a logistical point of view, the office tower with its modern spaces and versatile uses will be the new highlight in the centre of Berlin. The 134-metre-high tower was designed by the Berlin-based architecture firm Kleihues und Kleihues and comprises around 30,000 square metres of flexibly usable office space overlooking Berlin. Keeping the rooms open and spacious, they should be equipped with modern and intelligent technology and floor-to-ceiling windows. 1,000 square metres were pledged to the State of Berlin for commercial use for the benefit of the public.
The department store will continue as the Galeria Weltstadthaus. In addition, around 1,650 square metres are planned for a high-quality food area and small-scale retail on the first floor and ground floor. On the two upper floors, a so-called food culture market covering around 3,500 square metres is planned to combine enjoyment, culture and shopping. The spacious roof terrace overlooking the Berlin television tower should be publicly accessible.
In addition to the unique location, we are particularly enthusiastic about the pioneering sustainability concept already during the construction phase.
For example, geothermal energy will provide resource-efficient heating and cooling, and heat and cold production will also be optimised by means of cooling and heat pumps and, above all, by using unused waste heat from the existing building. Load peaks are covered by district heating. In addition, a photovoltaic system measuring almost 3,900 square metres will provide part of the power requirement. Only green electricity is used for the residual energy requirement. Other measures include intelligent lighting, elevator and ventilation systems. Around 600 cubic metres of rainwater are also to be used annually.
LEED Platinum (ecological sustainability), WELL Gold (health and WELL-being of subsequent users) and WiredScore (digital networking) certificates are aimed for for the construction project.
Commerz Real AG is the asset manager of the Commerzbank Group and has 50 years of international market experience. The company combines extensive know-how in asset management with broad structuring expertise and uses this expertise to develop tangible asset-oriented fund products and individual investment solutions in the real estate and infrastructure sectors. As a leasing service provider of Commerzbank, Commerz Real Mobilienleasing also offers needs-based leasing concepts.
Since 2025, the Commerzbank Group’s asset management holdings have been bundled with Commerz Real AG. In addition to Commerz Real’s brands and products, these include the Aquila Capital investment company with a focus on sustainable tangible asset investments in the area of energy infrastructure and Yellowfin as a boutique for liquid investment strategies. Under the umbrella of Commerz Real AG, a total of around 1,000 employees manage assets of around EUR 55 billion at around 20 locations.
A Commerzbank Group company