Trei Real Estate and the Borough of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg just signed an urban development agreement concerning the construction of a mixed residential/retail building. The plot at issue has long been in the possession of Trei and is located at Köpenicker Strasse 11,12 – near the “Schlesisches Tor” underground stop. The contract (implementation agreement) now signed will serve as basis for the conditional zoning plan process that is currently underway.
It allows Trei Real Estate to develop around 18,200 square metres of gross floor area on the first-line riverside plot of about 5,800 square metres. This implies around 13,100 square metres of lettable area. The ground floor is earmarked for one larger and two smaller commercial units. On the floors above, around 190 residential units will be created – 70 percent of which will be open market and 30 percent rent controlled. It is planned to develop the property to the EH40, QNG-Plus and DGNB Gold sustainability standards.
Trei Real Estate has agreed to create open areas and public access to the bank of the River Spree. The riverside area will include a public green area of about 830 square metres, a public playground of around 320 square metres, a passageway from Köpenicker Strasse to the riverbank that will take up around 180 square metres, and a protected habitat of around 250 square metres for a beaver living on the premises.
Other articles of the agreement concern the social infrastructure: The latter includes the construction of a children’s daycare centre on the ground floor and the creation of facilities for a supervised living for youth co-housing group. In addition, it is planned to set up a gallery extending over 90 square metres.
Pepijn Morshuis, the CEO of Trei Real Estate, said: “We have plenty of faith in our project in Berlin-Kreuzberg and in the micro-environment along Köpenicker Strasse. It is a very attractive site, being located directly on the bank of the River Spree and close to the Schlesisches Tor square. We are glad to have made a big step forward toward the start of construction work by signing this agreement.”
The compromise between the borough and Trei Real Estate is considered fitting by the competent borough councillor, Florian Schmidt: “On the one hand, urgently needed residential accommodation is created (190 residential units) – thereof 30 percent as rent controlled housing. On the other hand, the interests of the general public were taken into account in other ways. For instance, it was very important to the borough to create public access to the riverbank. We were able to secure this within the scope of the compromise deal. In addition, eight supervised co-housing spots for youngsters and a daycare centre for ten children will be created.”
In a development parallel to the urban development agreement, the conditional zoning process has been moving ahead. The next steps will be the building permit application and its consent.
The plot was previously occupied by a supermarket, which burned down in January 2014. In the years since, the site has been used as a parking lot.