State of Bremen at Expo Real 2024: property market stable and robust despite recent crises
Real estateInnovative and sustainable: Bremen and Bremerhaven's property sector on show in Munich
The State of Bremen will present itself as having a forward-looking property market that can withstand turbulent times at the Expo Real 2024 trade fair (Europe's leading property event) in Munich, Germany. From the 7th to the 9th of October 2024, 27 companies from Bremen and Bremerhaven will showcase their pioneering, sustainable real estate projects on a joint 200 square metre stand at the fair.
"The fact that Bremen companies have such a significant presence at Expo Real underscores the robustness, resilience and innovative strength of our property sector. There is a multitude of exciting projects such as the Überseeinsel district, the Spurwerk urban renewal project or the LUNE DELTA eco-development project. This shows that our businesses are very well placed to handle current challenges whilst also implementing sustainable, forward-looking projects", stated Kristina Vogt, Senator for Economics, Harbours and Transformation for the Hanseatic City of Bremen. Bremeninvest is responsible for coordinating and running this joint stand on behalf of the Senator.
Despite all the challenges currently facing the German property sector, the real estate market in Bremen has remained stable, as can be seen in the Property market report 2024, recently published by Bremeninvest. In 2023, the market for office space recorded a take-up of 94,000 square meters, returning it to pre-COVID figures. High-quality modern premises in central locations are in particularly high demand. The largest single take-up of rented office space came from the University of Bremen, whose Department of Law is about to move into the former premises of the Bremen Landesbank in a prime city-centre location. This will bring added vitality to the heart of the city and also reinforce its viability as a location.
Sustainability and innovation are the key drivers of urban development in Bremen
The city has an excellent framework for creating sustainable districts in which a harmonious balance of work, life and leisure can be achieved for the long-term. The focus here is on projects that are designed to meet the challenges of the future. As Özlem Ünsal, Bremen's Senator for Construction, Mobility and Urban Development, explained: "Today, sustainability and energy efficiency are the new standard. It is essential that we link social, economic and ecological aims with each other so we can create truly future-proof urban areas that enable a high quality of life."
An outstanding example of this is the John & Will Silo-Hotel by Guldsmeden in the Überseeinsel district. This upscale hotel is located on the site formerly occupied by Kellogg, the cereal manufacturer, which is becoming a vibrant new neighbourhood on the banks of the River Weser. In 2023, the Überseeinsel district was awarded the Immobilienmanager (property manager) award in its category for its innovative approaches to development. In 2024, it received the Polis Award in the "Urban Area Recycling" category at the Polis Convention (Europe's leading sustainable mobility event).
With over 200 beds and a consistently sustainable operating strategy, the John & Will Silo Hotel is the centrepiece of this project, setting new benchmarks in the field of innovative urban development. The majority of the power used by the hotel and the Überseeinsel district as a whole is generated by wind, sunshine and the waters of the River Weser. Organic and recycled materials were used at every stage of construction. As Andreas Heyer, Chair of the Bremeninvest Management Board, emphasised: "The John & Will Silo hotel is a flagship project and an impressive demonstration of how a bold entrepreneurial spirit and a sustainable strategy can achieve truly outstanding results."
Peper & Söhne, the Bremen project development company, is also applying a holistic, sustainable approach at its SPURWERK project. A centrally located modern development of high-quality offices and retail space is currently rising from the 90,000 square metre site that was formerly the Neustadtgüterbahnhofs goods rail depot.
Bremerhaven: on the way to a green economy
Sustainable transformation as part of economic development also plays a central role in Bremerhaven. Currently under development and located immediately next to the State of Bremen's largest nature reserve is the LUNE DELTA sustainable industrial estate, which be the first of this size in Germany. The project developer is BIS Bremerhavener Gesellschaft für Investitionsförderung und Stadtentwicklung mbH on behalf of the landowner BEAN (Bremerhavener Entwicklungsgesellschaft Alter/Neuer Hafen mbH & Co. KG). Flexible plot sizes, bespoke development and, proportionally, a large number of ecological spaces will create an attractive working environment in which businesses can flourish in the future.
The Werftquartier (Shipyard district) in Bremerhaven is also one of the region's largest urban construction projects. Covering 140 hectares, this district will be an attractive place in which to live and work and will draw in people from surrounding areas. Its location, in which urban amenities are in close proximity to waterways and green spaces, offers great potential for a creatively vibrant new district with exceptional quality of life, all of which will benefit the City of Bremerhaven as a whole. "The Werftquartier is a fine example of forward-looking urban development and shows the pioneering approach we're taking in the State of Bremen", stated Senator Ünsal.
A diversity of urban development projects are enhancing the Bremen property market
These urban renewal projects, which all have long-term viability in mind, are playing an important role in using the potential for revitalising individual Bremen districts to the full. As Kristina Vogt, Senator for the Economy, stated, "True to the overall (and necessary) strategy of creating a productive city with opportunities for working, living and enjoying leisure activities, districts such as the Tabakquartier (Tobacco quarter), the Kämmerei-Quartier (site of a former woollen mill) or the Steingut (stoneware) project offer a multitude of development opportunities for Bremen's real estate sector. This not only applies to companies and start-ups, but also to inhabitants, thanks to the variety of living spaces, educational offerings and hospitality venues."
An excellent example is the Tabakquartier (Tobacco Quarter) project, which is being run by the Justus Grosse project development company in Woltmershausen. A modern district with a diverse blend of apartments, offices, parks, places to eat, cultural venues, a hotel and a nursery is gradually emerging on the 20 hectare site of a former cigarette factory. The PAUL OPATZ project development company is working on 5FREUNDE, the first new-build project in the Tobacco Quarter. The project's name refers to the five apartment buildings, with a total of 89 one to four-room residential units which provide approximately 5,319 square metres rentable living space in total. 30 percent of the apartments will be let at a subsidised rent. Photovoltaic systems, ample bicycle storage, large communal spaces, spacious play areas, balconies and terraces are all features that round off the project.
The site of Bremen's old woollen mill in the North of the city is being transformed into the Kämmerei-Quartier which will be home to a modern vocational school campus. Educational courses from throughout the region are steadily being brought here to run in close proximity to small-scale businesses and workshops. The potential synergies are very promising. The impetus for this project was the relocation of the courses from the vocational centre in Blumenthal. There are also plans to bring other training institutes and vocational schools together onto a single modern campus on this historic site.
Other important urban development projects include the Steingut-Projekt in the north of Bremen, run by the M-Projekt group, and the new Hulsberg-Viertel district on the site previously occupied by the Central Bremen Clinic (Klinikum Bremen-Mitte).
Although it's not actually a district, one of the most eye-catching buildings in Bremen is the former water tower on the Stadtwerder peninsula. Locals affectionately call it the "Umgedrehte Kommode" which translates to "upturned chest of drawers". This building will soon be given a new lease of life: a unique, mixed-use community of offices, places to eat and 30 exclusive apartments will be created on the 10,000 square metre site. Every aspect of this architecturally challenging undertaking is being organised and managed by the company PUK Projektgesellschaft umgedrehte Kommode mbH.
Bringing life to the city centre
A flagship project for improving Bremen's city centre is the relocation of the university's Faculty of Law to the former premises of the NordLB bank. The lower part of the "Forum at Domshof", as the new university site will be known, will have a Student Union coffee shop and a cafeteria on the top floor.
This new university site at the heart of the city centre will bring fresh inspiration for revitalising Bremen's downtown area. By providing living space, opportunities for studying and working, and cultural and culinary offerings, the city centre will be more attractive, particularly for young people and students. The Domshof (the square by the cathedral) is already an ideal starting point because it is home to the Markthalle Acht food market and venue, the annual Open Space Domshof festival and many other events. Right next to the city centre, an office block previously used by the Armed Forces is being remodelled for residential use and will house modern 1 or 2-room flats for students, trainees and apprentices.
Enterprises that take out interim leases, such as the 2B-Active Base urban sports centre in 2023, the Contemporary Crafts Studio, which is currently operating, competitions for retailers and the "City UpTrade" programme that encourages business to move in to the city centre all help bring fresh life to it. A combination of innovative shop designs, cultural events and urban artisans has improved the quality of time spent in the city centre and also engaged younger target groups. An excellent example of this is the Cinnamood cinnamon bun bakery franchise, which has relocated here. "The many different measures we have put in place to revitalise the city centre are already having an effect. Our projects and initiatives are creating an attractive environment that brings in businesses and visitors alike and which will bolster the city centre for the long term", stated Andreas Heyer.
State of Bremen as a hub of science and innovation
The State of Bremen has also established itself as a leading centre of science and innovation which is driving forward transformations in the sectors of the future. With the Fraunhofer MEVIS institute, which is internationally renowned for its significant developments in digital medicine, the Digital Hub Industry in the NEOS Bremen state-run business incubator, as a centre of innovative ideas, the ECOMAT technology centre in the fields of lightweight construction and eco-efficient flight and the Alfred-Wegener-Institut, which is making vital contributions to climate research, the State of Bremen is having a major impact in the innovation scene. These and other institutions form the foundations of future innovations and forward-looking developments for Bremen as a location.
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