Urban Development
Project development in Berlin-Neukoelln
Estrel Tower: 176-metre high-rise planned on Neukoelln's Sonnenallee
The Estrel Hotel is planning a 176-metre tower on Sonnenallee with more than 700 rooms across 50 floors. An architecture competition is under way, with a decision expected in early 2014.
Peter Guthmann
At Sonnenallee 228 in Neukoelln, the Estrel Hotel is planning a tower that, at 176 metres, could become Berlin's tallest habitable building. The borough has already initiated the zoning process for the site, which spans more than 30,000 square metres, though the project attracted little public attention for a long time.
From a failed shopping centre to a hotel tower
The idea of expanding the existing Estrel Congress & Messe Center site is not new. Several years earlier, there were plans for an events venue, to be financed through an integrated shopping centre. The then-Senator for Urban Development, Ingeborg Junge-Reyer, rejected the concept as incompatible with the Senate's retail strategy. The new plans drop large scale retail entirely and focus solely on the hotel sector.
50 floors, more than 700 rooms
The current designs go beyond the earlier proposals: 50 floors, more than 700 rooms, 176 metres in height. A building of this scale would alter Berlin's skyline. Whether the borough of Neukoelln would approve the building height remained open in 2013.
As part of the zoning process, a design competition was launched, supported by Estrel Berlin, the Neukoelln borough office, the Berlin Senate and the Berlin Chamber of Architects. Six architecture firms submitted designs. The jury was expected to reach a decision in the first quarter of 2014.
Impact on the surrounding area
A hotel project of this size would raise the profile of the immediate surroundings on Sonnenallee. Both commercial properties and apartments in the neighbourhood would be affected. Improved infrastructure and higher footfall could shift demand and prices in parts of Neukoelln over the medium term. For owners and investors in the area, it was worth keeping a close eye on the project's progress.