berlinsights.de is back in Berlin, after more than a year working in South Africa. When we looked at our former premises Unter den Linden (UdL) 40, we found that the 10.000 sqm between Mittelstr. and UdL are currently being completely refurbished, works tasked to the David Chipperfield group by investor Harm Müller – Speer from Hamburg. He had made the deal for the “French Palais’ in 2014, winning the bid from among 350 potential parties interested in the historic building. The same investor of the Spreedreieck (near Friedrichstr.140), the former and famous ‘Tränenpalast’ and the ‘Hackesche Höfe’, among others, is said to expand office space by up to 17.000 sqm. His shame came with Berlin’s municipality that first opposed partial damage of the historic site: monument protection is ‘holy’ for Berliners, or at least he had to wait a bit for the building permit. By now, mid-2020, people hardly realize that works are speeding up. As for now, media stay silent, although ZDF is right next door. Who wants to know more, tours can be organized.

#berlinsights Susanne at the Cape, SA, with Michael who enjoys his ‘Berlin’ outfit :-)