By Johannes Malinowski
Once a white spot on the city map, soon a small town in the middle of the city!
Before reunification, the Stasi operated secret detention cells from the neighboring prison in the Carré between Gärtner-, Gensler-, Lichtenauer- and Ferdinand-Schultze-Straße.
Hells Angels rockers later met here. Today scrap dealers and old halls dominate the picture. The “27 hectares of opportunities” district is to be built on the huge area (the size of 45 football pitches) over the next ten years.
This was once the Hells Angels clubhouse Photo: Ralf Lutter
3,500 apartments are planned, plus space for 200 companies (up to 2,700 employees). The buildings are to be constructed as wooden modules. 30 percent each social, rental and owner-occupied apartments, plus ten percent special forms of housing such as nursing homes and student residences.
Project developer Sebastian Junghänel presents the plans for “27 hectares of possibilities” Photo: Ralf Lutter
“The area has not yet been sustainable,” says Sebastian Junghänel (44), managing director of Zeitgeist Asset Management, which has been buying up the necessary plots piece by piece since 2014. 98 percent are still sealed, 49,000 square meters of green space are planned.
More than one billion euros are to be invested. If everything goes as planned, construction work will start in summer 2023 – initially a master mile for small businesses and a hostel for trainees and students. A majority of the current tenants are to receive long-term leases in the new buildings.
Scrap companies, among others, are currently based in the area. They have to go, smaller companies can stay Photo: Johannes Malinowski
500 Hohenschönhaus residents were asked what they expect from the new district. “The social infrastructure is missing,” says Junghänel. “Especially green areas, gastronomy and dog areas.”
The wishes of local residents should be taken into account in the planning. Junghänel: “We have not eaten wisdom with spoons and want to hear the wishes and opinions of the residents.”
