Is Steglitz-Zehlendorf getting their first "Milieuschutzgebiet"

The Berlin Senat and not the local administration has instructed an investigation into rent levels and tenant squeeze out in the districts residential areas. The result was quite surprising.

Bierpinsel, Berlin-Steglitz

The residential area around Schlossstrasse is ranking first place in the district displacement hit-list. In the area between Steglitzer Kreisel, "Bierpinsel" and Paulsenstrasse, the experts attest above-average rising rents, rising purchase prices and an above-average increase in conversions from rented to condominiums.
Both the location, the high proportion of old buildings and the fact that so far only 12.9 percent of the residents have owned their apartment there, threaten to change the structure of this neighbourhood. The previously socially mixed residential area could be a place of residence, especially for high-income couples and families.

Schloßstrasse Berlin-Steglitz

The situation in the planning districts Markelstrasse, Feuerbachstrasse and Mittelstrasse looks similar.

A heated discussion within the local district office which has a different political leaning to the Senat,
has started. A vote to establish a protected area will already provide the protection for the tenants. The implications for property owners are summarized here:
https://germanproperties.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-can-do-and-cant-do-renovating.html

Berlin Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg has extended the "Milieuschutz" area Hornstrasse

Since January 30, the Hornstrasse preservation area "Milieuschutzgebiet" in Kreuzberg (Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg) also includes the "Riehmers Hofgarten" residential complex between Yorckstrasse and Hagelberger Strasse. According to the district, it is part of Apartment Block 205, to which the conservation statute, i.e. environmental protection, now also applies.

Bild von Karlheinz Pape

Above all, it says that so-called luxury modernizations are prohibited. This includes, for example, the addition of a second hand-basin in the bathroom, but also, and apparently there, with particular attention, the possible merging of smaller apartments into larger ones.

Modernizations to produce a contemporary equipment of the apartments are still permitted as well as energetic renovations, but must be approved in advance. The goal, as in all social protection areas, is to make the currently resident population more secure from being priced out.

The conversion to condominiums cannot be prevented by the Milieuschutz statutes. However, they are subject to strict requirements like selling to sitting tenants only for a set period

The Hornstrasse Conservation Area had already been expanded by several blocks around the Victoria Park in March 2019. According to the district office, there are now almost 8,400 households in this protected area.

The implications for property owners are summarized here:
https://germanproperties.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-can-do-and-cant-do-renovating.html

New "Milieuschutzgebiet" protected housing area desired in Berlin-Lichterfelde

The SPD parliamentary group wants to combine Kranoldplatz and ten streets into one milieu protection area "Milieuschutzgebiet".

Bild: Fridolin freudenfetthttps://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Lichterfelde_Kranoldplatz.JPG

The streets include sections of Königsberger Straße, Jungfernststieg, Oberhofer Weg, Ferdinandstraße, Lorenzstraße, Luisenstraße, Kurfürstenstraße as well as Parallelstraße and Jägerstraße. With its application to the district assembly (BVV), the SPD is responding to the plan pursued by HGHI Holding GmbH by investor Harald Huth to convert the Ferdinandmarkt. According to the SPD, there are fears that the rental level will rise, rental apartments will be converted into condominiums and people will be displaced from their traditional quarters.

The Berlin District of Pankow is Eying a New "Milieuschutz" Area

Pankow has currently 9 protected areas, "Milieuschutzgebiete"

Arnimplatz, Bötzowstraße, Falkplatz, Helmholtzplatz, Humannplatz, Kollwitzplatz, Teutoburger Platz and Winsstraße. Some of them were covered in this blog.

No.10 is in the making:

Danziger Straße Ost

Millieuschutzgebiet Danziger Straße Ost

Photo by Jonas Denil on Unsplash

Surfing in Berlin?

Since November 2019 Berlin has Germany's widest (8.5 m) and highest (1.6m) indoor wave.It is called Wellenwerk ® at Landsberger Allee 270, 10367 Berlin (Lichtenberg).

The artificial wave, built on the site of`BerlinerWasserbetriebe, is a mere ten-minute car-ride from Alexanderplatz, is suitable for all surfing styles,from body boards to thrusters, and built with a focus on sustainability. On November 22nd, 2019, the Wellenwerk indoor surf arena opens in Landsberger Allee 270, a former pumping station and historic monument: Events and dinning areas will follow soon.The latest citywave® technology will offer local surfers constant waves that are independent of swell and weather conditions in their own backyard. It is the biggest indoor wave in the world, breaking at 1.60 metres and the widest in Germany, at 8.5 metres in width. The pool is 18 metres long and the water and air are a constant 25 degrees Celsius.

Surfing in Berlin

Sustainability is key to the Wellenwerk concept: The facility operates on 100% green hydro-electricity, with water being shot over an adjustable ramp to generate the constant, stationary wave. An innovative heat recovery system also heats the hall, water and neighbouring buildings, ensuring that as well as providing an inner city surf spot the wave also does its bit to preserve the environment that makes real waves in the wild.The standing wave is suitable for all sort of wave riding tools, from thrusters to body boards and customers can either bring their own boards or rent one onsite. A one-hour session within a group costs €39.90, plus a €2 eco-electricity fee–this includes rental gear and a surf coach.

All the details are here: https://wellenwerk-berlin.de/en/

Spandau Joins the Berlin Districts with "Milieuschutz" Areas

The Spandau District Assembly has voted to have a rough screening performed to identify areas where looming rent increases are likely to push out existing tenants, gentrification.

According to the IVD Berlin-Brandenburg Spandau was the district with the highest rent increases lately. The average rent for "simple" neighborhoods is at 7.75 €/m²/month while Spandau remained one of the last three districts without "Milieuschutz".

The rough screening will start in September.

Zitadelle Spandau

Von Benutzer:sec11 - Fotografiert am 16.04.04, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23985521

Amongst the areas already seen as strong candidates to be included in the protection of "Milieuschutz" are Spandauer Neustadt and Wilhelmstadt to the north and south of the center Altstadt. Another area already discussed is the development "An der Kappe" with ca. 1,100 apartments.

Spandau City Hall

Von A.Savin (Wikimedia Commons · WikiPhotoSpace) - Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22550225

We will keep our readers updated on the developments.

More information about the impact of the "Milieuschutz" on the property owners in the area youu can find here:

The Can Do and Can't Do Renovating Apartments in Certain Areas of Berlin

Upcoming "Milieuschutz" Areas in Moabit and Tiergarten

The Berlin-Mitte district council put the pressure up for “Milieuschutz”. In their last meeting before the summer break, the representatives demanded the district administration by resolution to identify the so-called observation areas Körner- and Lützowstraße in Tiergarten and Moabit the Lübecker Straße and the Thomasiusstraße and the Beussel district as “Milieuschutz” protection areas. Further to formally announce the dedication of the areas in order to apply the social conservation mechanisms as soon as possible. This means that homeowners must meet certain approval criteria for construction projects and take into account the rent index in the district.
The “Milieuschutz” is an urban and social instrument for avoiding displacement of the existing resident population also known as gentrification.
More information about the impact of the "Milieuschutz" on the property owners in the area youu can find here:

The Can Do and Can't Do Renovating Apartments in Certain Areas of Berlin