Gropiusstadt is much better than its reputation!

From Hildburg Bruns

When the then governing Willy Brandt (SPD, †1992) laid the foundation stone for Gropiusstadt 60 years ago, the cassette with the coins was gone the next day – a bad sign?

The image of this satellite town with around 18,500 apartments in the south of Neukölln is now better than its reputation. “People like to live here, on average for more than ten years,” said Berlin’s building senator Andreas Geisel (56, SPD) during the anniversary tour.

A tenant survey by Degewo (they own a third of the apartments) shows: 92 percent find their home good to very good. However, every second person has something to complain about in the area. “There is bulky waste, neighborhood disputes about noise and complaints about poorly lit garbage can places,” says Dagmar Knauf from the customer center.

One million people live in a total of 51 large housing estates in Berlin. In 2019, municipal companies bought additional large stocks under pressure from Red-Red-Green. In order to improve conditions in these neighborhoods, there are two million euros for more cleanliness and security.

Which areas are it now? Fennpfuhl, High Deck settlement, Falkenhagener Feld, Heerstrasse-Nord, Kosmosviertel, Tirschenreuther Ring, Titiseestrasse.

It’s about bulky waste days, clean-up campaigns, training for local groups, the redesign of public spaces.

Dagmar Knauf heads the Degewo customer center:

Dagmar Knauf heads the Degewo customer center: “The tenants want bike racks and illuminated garbage can places” Photo: Christian Lohse

Take Gropiusstadt as an example: due to pressure from local residents, a fountain is finally bubbling up again on Lipschitzallee – for ten years it was considered irreparable.

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