DIEAG celebrates symbolic ground-breaking ceremony for Berlin district development project BE‑U | Behrens‑Ufer

Berlin, 25. Oktober 2023. DIE Deutsche Immobilien Entwicklungs AG (DIEAG) celebrates the symbolic ground-breaking and project launch at Behrens-Ufer, Ostendstraße 1, 12459 Berlin-Oberschöneweide. The event is attended by the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner, and 300 invited guests. A young rowan tree, donated by the Treptow-Köpenick Community Foundation, was planted in the ground of the former industrial site as the first new element of the future outdoor green space. It is also a sign of the developer’s special attachment to the site and the sustainability of the upcoming transformation of the district. The celebrations will take place immediately after the completion of the first preparatory construction work in the listed Peter Behrens Building (with hall 5 and building F) and the clearing of the construction site on the approximately two-hectare south-west square of the site.

At the symbolic ground-breaking ceremony, DIEAG board member Robert Sprajcar said: “We are delighted that after several years of planning, the BE-U will soon become a reality. I would like to thank all those involved in the project who are working with us to create one of the most modern and sustainable urban districts in the world. The planting of the tree is a symbolic gesture. It will move around during the construction phase until it reaches full maturity at its final destination. We would like to thank the Treptow-Köpenick Community Foundation for donating the tree.” Sprajcar adds: “Prospering companies from technology and research-oriented sectors will find rental space that allows for flexible use. They, their employees and the guests of the BE-U will also benefit from a university, artistic and cultural environment as well as a gastronomic culture that combines enjoyment and nutritional awareness.”

Kai Wegner, Governing Mayor of Berlin, expresses: “Behrens-Ufer is one of the flagship projects of Berlin’s urban development – and is rightly mentioned in the same breath as the Urban Tech Republic, Siemensstadt Square and Molkenmarkt in Berlin-Mitte. Behrens-Ufer is also a good example of a trusting partnership between the public sector and private investors. The unique geothermal energy project stands for sustainability, as does the involvement of local residents and the companies that will operate at Behrens-Ufer. Today’s groundbreaking ceremony is an important milestone for the entire future location of Oberschöneweide and the creation of up to 12,000 jobs.”

Klemens Haselsteiner, CEO of STRABAG SE, emphasises: “I would also like to thank you for the invitation to this extraordinary ceremony. We are proud to be involved in the revitalisation of this district with our subsidiary ZÜBLIN. We are rethinking construction: At Behrensufer, we are demonstrating how it is possible to avoid land sealing and reduce the waste of resources by building in existing buildings. The project is an excellent example of how an old industrial site can be transformed into a vibrant and versatile place for the future, and how modernisation, climate protection, and heritage conservation can be brought together. For us, Behrensufer is a unique opportunity to use our construction and planning expertise to create a liveable space for all users.”

Ingard Krause, Chairwoman of the Treptow-Köpenick Community Foundation, says: “The Community Foundation would like to congratulate on the ground-breaking ceremony for this exciting project. The structural development on this historic site will be just as special as the creation of thousands of new jobs for many different companies. This is a special development for our district of Treptow-Köpenick and also for local civic engagement. We are delighted to have been involved from the very beginning and to be able to set an example with the tree that will unite us in the long term.”

BE-U | Behrens-Ufer will create a total of 235,000 sqm of rental space in historic and new buildings for companies primarily in the life sciences, laboratory and light industrial sectors. In addition, the Innovation Labs for new energy, food, art & culture, and urban development will provide a platform for the exchange of knowledge and the further advancement of the location. The results of their work will feed directly into the development of the quarter.

Completion is scheduled for 2028. The first leases in existing and new buildings have already been signed.