TOM 05 2025
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T
TOPS
M
OF THE MONTH
TOMO
RETAIL REAL ESTATE
TOPS
OF THE
MONTH
Essential News About The Players In In
The Retail Real Property Estate Market In in Germany
THE HOTTEST DEALS +++
INTERVIEWS +++ STATEMENTS
+++ PARTICULARS +++
ANALYSES +++ PROJECTS
presented by HI-HEUTE.DE
May 2025
Europeans want the best of both worlds – online and offline shopping – combined.
Symbolic image: AdobeStock / Dmytro Panchenko
Europeans want to shop
across all touchpoints
In-store shopping remains popular – preferably supported by online shopping
Buy online, return offline:
according to the latest Adyen
Index 2025, this cross-channel
shopping experience is one of
the most important wishes of
European consumers. Almost
half of those surveyed in Germany
(47 percent) say that
retailers who offer this option
earn more loyalty. In Spain
(57 percent), France (52 percent),
and Italy (51 percent),
the approval rating is even
higher.
Today‘s European shoppers
want the best of both worlds: the
convenience of online shopping
and the in-store experience.
The new Adyen Index 2025, for
which the financial technology
platform Adyen surveyed consumers
and businesses worldwide
– including in Germany,
France, Spain, Italy, and the
Netherlands – about their payment
habits, shows that Flexibility,
convenience, and trust are
the new currency in retail. Pure
online shopping is not preferred
in any of the countries surveyed.
Instead, the focus is clearly on
connected services, such as the
ability to buy online and return
offline.
Despite the continued growth
of e-commerce, brick-and-mortar
retail remains a central pillar
of the European shopping experience—and
is even preferred
in many places. In France,
more than half of consumers
(just under 53 percent) say they
prefer to shop in stores, while
in Spain the figure is 44 percent.
The picture in Germany is
more nuanced: over 44 percent
prefer a balanced use of online
and offline offerings, while just
under 29 percent rely primarily
on brick-and-mortar shopping –
pure online retail lags behind at
around 27 percent.
The most common reasons are
the immediate experience of the
products, personal advice, and
the ability to take items home
immediately. Added to this is
the desire to avoid shipping
costs, especially in France (29
percent), Spain (30 percent),
and the Netherlands (31 percent).
While lower prices – for
around 43 percent in Germany,
for example – as well as greater
choice and time savings are
the main factors driving online
shopping, it is clear that shopping
without a physical presence
is not an option for the majority.
In Germany (29 percent)
and Italy (23 percent), the desire
to support local retailers and
thereby contribute to the regional
economy also plays a role.
Security is also important: in
Germany, over 23 percent consider
paying in-store to be more
trustworthy, and in France and
Spain, this figure is around a
quarter.
In Germany, consumers want
above all else to be able to return
items easily – across all
channels, i.e., both online and
in-store (29 percent). Sustainable
packaging and products
were mentioned just as often.
These were followed by realtime
information on availability
(23 percent) and personalized
discounts (22 percent). “Customers
don‘t think in terms of
channels – they expect their
shopping to work across all
touchpoints – conveniently, securely,
and sustainably. Retailers
who meet this expectation
not only gain loyalty, but also
sales: Unified commerce is no
longer a trend, but a strategic
necessity,” explains Hella Fuhrmann,
Country Manager DACH
at Adyen.
Page 2 T O M
The extensive redevelopment
of the ITIS Shopping Center
in Helsinki has now been
successfully completed. With
an investment of €60 million,
CC Real has fundamentally
repositioned the center by the
end of 2024 and transformed
it into a modern, future-proof
urban destination. The stated
goal was to reinvent ITIS, not
just renovate it.
SHOPPING CENTRES
May 2025
CC Real has reinvented one of
Helsinki‘s most famous destinations
ITIS: A €60 million transformation inspired by local needs and urban vision
The center has been completely
redesigned as a lively place for
people to meet, enjoy themselves,
go about their daily lives,
and make discoveries. The
needs of the local community
were at the heart of the design,
as were sustainable development
and urban living. CC Real
contributed its extensive expertise
as a real estate investment
and asset management company
in the areas of leasing, operations,
marketing, and sustainable
development. A central highlight
of the redesign is the striking
new 4,000-square-meter
market hall, which is now the
social heart of the center.
An urban meeting
place for today
and tomorrow
It combines cuisine, culture, and
community with Nordic design
and an authentic atmosphere—
warm materials, family-friendly
areas, and an amphitheater for
events. The comprehensively
modernized Bulevardi – the
longest covered shopping street
in Northern Europe with real
trees – offers a dynamic, pedestrian-friendly
experience that
reflects Helsinki‘s unique character
while improving access
to shops, services, and social
meeting places. “This transformation
was not an end in itself,”
says Harald Schaller, Senior Asset
Manager at CC Real.
“We recognized that ITIS needed
to change – to move closer
to people‘s everyday lives and
expectations. This has shaped
every design and leasing decision:
to make the center more
intuitive, inclusive, and connected
to its surroundings.”
Following extensive redesign, the ITIS Shopping Center in Helsinki is now a modern urban destination.
Photo: CC Real
Since its opening in 1984, ITIS
has been a central retail and
social location in eastern Helsinki.
Under the management
of CC Real, the center has been
completely repositioned. The
redesign focused on openness,
clarity, and quality of stay: the
entrances were made more spacious,
the building layout was
Facts about the
transformation
made more intuitive, and the facades
were opened up to allow
for better integration into the
cityscape. Bulevardi is now not
just a shopping street, but a destination
in its own right – with
clear sightlines, modernized
storefronts, and a pedestrianfriendly,
naturally lit environment
that connects central anchor
tenants and dining areas.
A redesigned vertical core improves
accessibility to all floors,
while the upgraded parking
service now offers two hours of
free parking on the upper levels.
The center is owned by a joint
venture (90% Morgan Stanley,
10% CC Real), covers almost
99,000 square meters, and
houses 211 tenants, including
over 120 stores and more than
40 restaurants. ITIS attracts
around 14.4 million visitors
annually, with annual sales of
€203 million – and the number
of visitors is expected to rise to
18 million in the medium term.
ITIS is easily accessible thanks
to its direct connections to metro,
tram, and bus lines as well
as major road links. Planned infrastructure
improvements will
further increase accessibility.
Sustainability,
social value, and
future viability
CC Real‘s vision goes beyond
physical infrastructure. Sustainability
and social impact are at
the heart of the transformation
of ITIS. The center has been
awarded BREEAM “Excellent”
certification and the WWF
Green Office label, with the aim
of achieving “Outstanding” status
in the future. In the coming
months, 50 e-charging stations
will be installed and further
energy efficiency measures implemented.
Social engagement
also plays a central role, with
initiatives to support local charities,
combat social isolation,
and create learning opportunities
through educational programs.
CC Real:
Rethinking urban
space
This project exemplifies CC
Real‘s mission: to create places
that enrich urban life. As a fully
integrated real estate investment
and asset management company,
CC Real combines development,
architecture, leasing, operations,
and sustainability under
one roof – for faster implementation
and tailor-made, locationspecific
solutions.
The result in ITIS: a center
that is no longer just a place to
shop—but a place to meet, eat,
discover, and belong.
Page 3 T O M
TOP STATEMENT OF THE MONTH May 2025
TOP STATEMENT
May
„I‘m glad I didn‘t
mess it up! Often, the
second generation
runs a company into
the ground.” “
Anders Holch Povlsen, CEO
and owner of the Bestseller
Group, in an exclusive interview
with Textilwirtschaft
magazine when asked if he was
proud of the company‘s 50th
anniversary.
Photo: Jens Nørgaard Larsen/Ritzau Scanpix
Page 5 T O M
ANALYSES May 2025
The figures from the latest CDH statistics show mixed developments in the income and goods turnover of commercial agents in Germany.
Symbolic image: AdobeStock / David
Commercial agencies continue
to focus on their own business
Study shows mixed picture for developments
After two years, the Central
Association of German Trade
Associations for Commercial
Agency and Distribution
(CDH) has once again presented
figures on the development
of commercial agencies‘
brokerage and own business
in cooperation with the Cologne
Institute for Trade Research
(IFH KÖLN).
For the latest CDH statistics
for 2024, a total of 836 commercial
agencies were surveyed
on their sales and earnings
figures as well as cost structure
data for the years 2022 to 2023.
With average gross commission
income of just under 390,000
euros, the business performance
of commercial agents in various
industries was mixed. Overall,
the average gross commission
income of commercial agents
declined slightly by two percent
compared to the previous year.
The decline in average gross
commission income was significantly
stronger in the furniture,
home furnishings, jewelry,
construction, and fashion and
sports accessories sectors (from
-3.4 to -26.9 percent).
By contrast, the medical products/healthcare,
technology/
production materials, and food/
wine/spirits sectors achieved
good growth (between 3.8 and
13.7 percent).Increase in goods
turnover partly higher Overall,
the average goods turnover
per commercial agency was
5,112,495 euros, which represents
a decline of 3.2 percent
compared to 2022. The decline
mainly affected the fashion,
sports, and accessories sectors,
but also furniture, home furnishings,
jewelry, and—despite
higher gross commission income—technical
production
materials. “On the other hand,
sectors such as medical products,
healthcare, and food,
wine, and spirits reported impressive
increases in goods
turnover, which even exceeded
the rise in gross commission income.
This underscores the very
uneven business performance of
commercial agencies,” emphasizes
Eckhard Döpfer, CEO of
CDH.
On average, each full-time employee
of a commercial agency
generated sales of almost €1.4
million and gross commission
income of €81,345 in 2023.
Each employee in the field sales
force of a commercial agency
generated an average of over 3.2
million euros in sales and gross
commission income of 160,520
euros.
Foreign agencies grew In 2024,
the proportion of commercial
agencies that also conduct their
own business declined very
slightly. However, own sales
rose by 5.3 percent, while gross
income from own transactions,
the so-called trade margin, fell
by the same amount.
The respective developments
in the individual economic sectors
varied greatly. In 2024, the
degree of international integration
almost returned to the same
high level as in 2020. The share
of commercial agencies with foreign
agencies grew by two percentage
points to 55.3 percent.
The share of foreign agencies
in all represented companies
rose significantly more strongly,
from 31 to 36 percent.
In the furniture, home furnishings,
and jewelry sector in
particular, both the share of
commercial agents with foreign
representations (79.3 percent)
and its increase of 12 percentage
points compared to 2022
were above average. A slight
increase was also recorded in
the construction sector and in
the technology and production
materials sector.
URBAN CREATORS.
Architecture | Development & Project Management
European Council of Shopping Places (ECSP) Awards: Commendation for Best Renovation/Expansion for centres between 15.000 – 45.000 sqm
Page 7 T O M
ANALYSES May 2025
Consumers particularly like to use their smartphones to find out about products before making a purchase in a brick-and-mortar store.
Symbolic image: Pixabay / nvtrlab
Digital touchpoints boost
brick-and-mortar shopping
Consumers often research products online beforehand
Whether in online shops or
in stores, consumers are increasingly
making their purchasing
decisions based on
comprehensive information.
But how do retailers reach
their target group, and what
role do digital and brick-andmortar
touchpoints play in
purchasing decisions? This is
examined in the latest study,
“Click & Buy vs. Brick & Buy
– The Importance of Online
Information for Purchasing
Decisions and Experiences,”
conducted by ECC KÖLN in
collaboration with 1World-
Sync.
The results show that while
Amazon remains the most important
source of inspiration
before an online purchase (consumer
electronics 59 percent,
sports & leisure 54 percent, food
44 percent, beauty & cosmetics
40 percent), it is hardly surprising
that in-store presentation
is a key factor in offline shopping
(food 46 percent, beauty
& cosmetics 43 percent, sports
& leisure 40 percent, consumer
electronics 34 percent). However,
the customer journey often
begins online even before the
in-store purchase: For example,
44 percent of consumers first
encounter consumer electronics
products via search engines. In
the beauty and cosmetics industry,
36 percent of buyers became
aware of products through advertising
on social media before
purchasing them in-store.
Linking sales
channels
„The results clearly show that
online touchpoints are also becoming
more relevant before
brick-and-mortar purchases.
Close integration of all sales
channels is essential to offer
customers a consistent shopping
experience. Retailers who make
targeted use of online information
and activities are better able
to engage customers at the point
of sale and inspire them to choose
their brand,“ says Cassandra
Bolz, Senior Project Manager at
ECC KÖLN.
Overall, social media channels
are now an important source of
inspiration with great potential,
both before digital and brickand-mortar
purchases. Forty-six
percent of consumers follow influencers
on social media who
regularly promote products,
among other things. Among
those under 30, the figure is as
high as 76 percent.
Important point
of contact before
purchase
The most popular platform for
inspiration before a purchase –
both online and in-store – is Instagram,
by a clear margin across
all industries. TikTok is particularly
relevant in the beauty and
cosmetics sector: a good third of
consumers have already become
aware of products via this channel,
which they then purchased
online (33 percent) or in-store
(34 percent).
Smartphones have long been an
indispensable shopping companion:
across all industries,
customers use them on site
to compare prices (consumer
electronics 68 percent, sports
& leisure 61 percent, beauty &
cosmetics 43 percent, food 33
percent) and access customer
programs (CE/beauty & cosmetics
57 percent, food 56 percent,
sports & leisure 53 percent). At
the same time, there is a growing
demand for online product information
even when shopping
in brick-and-mortar stores –
especially when the information
on the packaging is insufficient
(CE 59 percent, sports & leisure
39 percent, beauty & cosmetics
30 percent, food 12 percent) or
there is a lack of staff on the sales
floor (CE 45 percent, sports
& leisure 39 percent, beauty &
cosmetics 31 percent, food 15
percent).
Smartphones as a
bridge
In addition, appealing online
information reduces price sensitivity
by an average of 24 percent.
„Many companies recognize
the importance of digital
touchpoints in brick-and-mortar
retail, but are not exploiting
their potential. Yet smartphones,
which are always at our side, offer
a clever way to link online
and offline experiences. It is
crucial that digital content not
only meets the high information
needs of customers, but is also
interactive and inspiring,“ comments
Stephan Bieringa, Managing
Director of 1WorldSync
GmbH, on the study.
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Page 9 T O M
INTERVIEW May 2025
„Business parks are either an attractive
format for commercial logistics”
Interview with Christin Schulz, Head of the Northern Region at Aurelis Real Estate GmbH
In recent years, Aurelis Real
Estate GmbH has focused on
the development, implementation,
and leasing of large
logistics spaces. The company
leases over one million square
meters of commercial space
at dozens of locations throughout
Germany. Retail logistics
is becoming an increasingly
important part of its business.
TOM editor-in-chief Thorsten
Müller spoke with Christin
Schulz, who is responsible for
this area in the Northern Region.
TOM: Aurelis is focusing on
a new format, the “business
park.” Can you briefly outline
what this is all about?
Christin Schulz: The demand
for commercial space with the
possibility of housing production
and administration under
one roof has risen steadily in recent
years. The business park is
primarily intended to appeal to
companies whose core business
is storage and logistics. But it is
also aimed at smaller industrial
and craft businesses as well
as start-ups. The share of trade
logistics has increased significantly
due to the growth of
e-commerce. The premises can
accommodate light production
and manufacturing as well as research
and development. They
can also be used as warehouses.
TOM: What exactly is important
in terms of design?
Christin Schulz: We want to
make almost every conceivable
use concept possible in the business
parks. As a rule, this works
well. Where things get a little
tricky, such as cooling for food
logistics, the tenants usually
provide the equipment themselves.
Our aim for all properties is
to create a high level of recognition
and a pleasant working
environment for customers and
employees. We like to call this a
“campus character.” Of course,
this also includes an appropriate
amount of small green oases
and the option of offering certain
activities during breaks or
immediately after work, such
as dining options or a visit to a
gym, through our cooperating
rental partners on site.
Christin Schulz has been with Aurelis since 2017 and has been head of the Hamburg regional office
since 2019.
Photo: Aurelis
TOM: What requirements
must the location meet?
Christin Schulz: The space
should be around 30,000 square
meters, close to the city, and
ideally have good public transportation
connections so that
companies such as Picnic can
keep their delivery promises.
In order to offer tenants the
greatest possible flexibility, the
space sizes start at around 600
square meters and can be expanded
flexibly.
TOM: How many such business
parks already exist or are
planned?
Christin Schulz: In the northern
region, for which I am responsible,
we have been able to realize
three so far, and several more
are in the planning stage. The
situation is similar in the other
regions. I am very confident about
the rapid expansion of this
new format.
TOM: How do you see the
market at the moment? Is there
really enough demand for
your parks?
Christin Schulz: Last year saw
a slump in the large-scale logistics
sector, and e-commerce also
took a hit, but both are now showing
signs of recovery. Demand
for small spaces remains stable.
However, we are seeing a general
trend toward longer negotiation
processes.
Small and medium-sized companies
in particular are finding
it difficult to make decisions. In
short, we are currently dealing
with more cautious customers.
Our corporate strategy allows
us to focus on cities and markets
that meet our requirements
and where we are also willing to
build speculatively. As soon as
we have identified significant
demand, we take action.
TOM What are you and your
customers currently most concerned
about?
Christin Schulz: Basically, all
topics related to sustainability
and ESG. E-mobility is an
important keyword here, and
with it charging stations, which
must be available in sufficient
numbers in our parks. Photovoltaics
and green spaces on
roofs or timber construction are
further examples. Our customer
Alnatura, for whom we are
currently building a logistics
center in Groß-Rohrheim, has
very high requirements in this
area, which we must of course
meet.
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Page 11 T O M
GUEST CONTRIBUTION May 2025
From parking space to key resource:
charging infrastructure as
part of integrated location development
Article by Kien Khang-Le, expert at Eliso, service provider for electric vehicle charging stations
What used to be just a parking
space is now increasingly
becoming a strategic interface
between energy, mobility,
and consumer behavior. With
the growing number of electric
vehicles, not only is the
cityscape changing, but so is
the role of spaces that were
previously intended solely as
parking spaces. Especially in
urban areas, where private
charging options are scarce,
public space is becoming a
crucial resource.
Public charging infrastructure
has enormous potential, especially
in areas where mobility
meets high visitor traffic, such
as in the vicinity of retail and
local amenities. And although
demand and interest are growing
steadily, this opportunity
remains untapped in many
places. But how can retailers
successfully enter the e-mobility
market? Which models are
economically viable? And what
is important when it comes to
implementation?
Operator or partner
– setting the
strategic course
The development of public
charging infrastructure requires,
above all, players who not
only have suitable space at their
disposal, but also have an economic
interest in making their
locations attractive and futureproof.
This is where owners of
retail, leisure, and utility properties
with their own parking
spaces come into play. They can
sensibly link length of stay and
customer frequency with charging
needs—while at the same
time establishing new service
structures that secure long-term
competitive advantages.
The Building Electromobility
Infrastructure Act (GEIG) makes
it clear that anyone operating
properties with customer
traffic today will also have to
Kien Khang Le, charging infrastructure expert at eliso
provide charging infrastructure
tomorrow. The regulatory requirements
create a binding framework,
but also an opportunity to
not only enable electromobility,
but also to actively shape it.
An important first step is to decide
whether property owners
want to become active operators
of charging stations themselves
and whether they are prepared
to bear the high investment
costs, which vary depending on
the charging system. Alternatively,
parking spaces can be leased
to an external operator.
The advantage here is that external
operators not only have
the necessary technical expertise
and experience in project
management, but also bear the
financial costs. They take care
of permits, grid connections,
standardized billing systems,
service, maintenance – and ensure
long-term operation with
certified green electricity.
This makes charging infrastructure
an integral part of real
estate owners‘ location strategy
– without burdening their core
business.
The basis:
good planning
Regardless of the model chosen,
one thing is certain: sound
planning is essential. Location
analyses, future scenarios, legal
requirements – if you don‘t
think ahead, you may end up
investing in something that
doesn‘t fit the reality.
But if you act with foresight
now, you will not only position
yourself as a pioneer in e-mobility,
but also open up new opportunities
in a place that was
previously only intended for
parking.
T
TOPS
Essential News About The Players In In
The Retail Real Property Estate Market In in Germany
IMPRINT
Photo: Eliso
O M
OF THE MONTH
TOM
TOPS
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RETAIL REAL ESTATE
Publisher:
Business News Group GmbH
Address:
Alexanderstraße 16
45130 Essen
Germany
Tel. 0049-201-874 55 28
Web: www.hi-heute.de
Mail: tom@hi-heute.de
Frequency of publication:
monthly
Circulation: approx. 5000 copies
sent by e-mail
Editorial team: Susanne Müller,
Thorsten Müller
Responsible in terms of press
law: Thorsten Müller
Layout: K4-PR, Essen
THE HOT
INTERVIE
+++ PART
ANALYSE
presente
March
www.wisag.de
Your shopping centre in the best hands
Perfect cleanliness, uncompromising security and optimum service:
all this keeps not only the customers satisfied, but also tenants and
owners. With our tailored solutions and experience, you will benefit
from optimum management costs. And at all times, we have value
retention and the sustained development of your centre in mind.
We go one step further for you.
Joaquin Jimenez Zabala
Tel. +49 162 7861-324 joaquin.jimenez.zabala@wisag.de
Page 13 T O M
CITY AND RETAIL May 2025
Berlin: Tourism drives growth in retail
German capital remains top shopping destination
COMFORT, in cooperation
with CIMA Beratung + Management
GmbHand under
the leadership of Björn Gottschling
on behalf of COM-
FORT and Olaf Petersen on
behalf of CIMA, has published
“Insight Berlin,” another
report on the market situation
for retail real estate in prime
locations in Germany‘s shopping
metropolises.
The research institutes‘ spring
reports reinforce the conclusion
that Germany‘s economic
downturn is likely to be more
persistent than hoped. Against
the backdrop of current events
such as the recently imposed
US tariffs, they now only expect
average growth of 0.1 percent.
However, the subsequent suspension
of these tariffs for 90
days had not yet been factored
in. So there is still hope for improvement.
The institutes expect
growth of 1.3 percent for
2026.
Tourism once again provided
tailwind for the German retail
sector. Nationwide, the number
of tourist overnight stays recorded
by official statistics reached
an all-time high, slightly above
the previous peak year of 2019.
The big cities were among the
main beneficiaries, with the
German capital Berlin as the
undisputed leader. A good 30.6
million overnight stays were recorded
there, around three percent
more than in the previous
year.
The only German
global city
With around 3.8 million inhabitants,
the federal capital is by far
the largest city in Germany. “It
is not only because of this, but
also because of its extraordinarily
diverse cultural scene and
distinctive trendsetting qualities
that it is the only true German
cosmopolitan city,” says Olaf
Petersen. “It is a global place
to be, which international retailers
also need to occupy.”
Berlin also continues to be a rapidly
growing city. Since 2019
alone, the metropolis has gained
around 170,000 residents,
which is equivalent to the population
of a medium-sized city.
Tourism in Berlin is boosting retail in the German capital. Symbolic image: AdobeStock / Flyinger
The success of Berlin‘s retail
sector is based on a huge catchment
area that includes not
only the city itself but also large
parts of Brandenburg. It has a
total population of around 5.5
million. Added to this is the
high number of tourists. Unlike
other German cities, Berlin‘s retail
landscape has a polycentric
structure. On the one hand, there
are the top city locations with
the core areas of Kurfürstendamm/Tauentzienstraße
in the
west and Alexanderplatz in the
east, which have also been shaped
by German history. These
are complemented by Wilmersdorfer
Straße and Schlossstraße
in the west, as well as Hackescher
Markt and Friedrichstraße
as further city locations. These
six locations alone generated
total retail sales of around €4.9
billion in 2024. And this on
a total sales area of just under
650,000 square meters.
In addition, there are a large
number of neighborhood locations
– the “Kieze” – as well
as shopping centers, some of
which are integrated into the
classic locations, but some of
which also operate largely independently.
With more than 40
such shopping centers, Berlin is
also at the forefront of German
cities in this respect. Against
this backdrop, there is considerable
competitive pressure between
the individual locations.
In particular, some peripheral
and aging centers, as well as
those that are no longer in line
with the challenges of online retail,
are undergoing a pronounced
repositioning phase. Mixeduse
qualities are increasingly in
demand here.
In line with the market, purchase
prices in Berlin‘s absolute
prime locations have now fallen
noticeably. Kurfürstendamm
and Tauentzienstraße remain at
the top of the rankings, where
purchase prices of up to 25-28
times the annual rent are realistic
for outstanding properties
with sustainable rental levels.
However, Alexanderplatz, Hackescher
Markt, and Schlossstraße,
as well as central locations
such as Leipziger Platz
and good district/neighborhood
locations, remain attractive to
investors. There is currently a
lot to report on specific deals,
with a focus on the Signa estate.
The largest purchase, with a volume
of more than €400 million,
was the acquisition of the Upper
West ensemble, including the
former German Signa headquarters,
by the Schoeller Group at
the beginning of 2025. Other
former Signa properties that
changed hands include Tauentzienstraße
20 (formerly Schuhhaus
Leiser, new owner Midstad),
the P1 parking garage at
KaDeWe (purchaser Quantum)
and the former Hotel Ellington
(Passauer Straße, purchaser Vivion).
Among a large number of other
recent deals, the acquisition
of the Schloss-Straßen-Center
(SSC) by the Porth Group (seller
Pinebridge) and the Kant
Center by Kintyre together
with ATPG Angelo Gordon are
particularly noteworthy. In the
immediate vicinity in Wustermark,
the French Frey Group
has also acquired the Designer
Outlet Berlin from McArthur-
Glen. Further transactions were
recorded at Kurfürstendamm
199, Wilmersdorfer Straße 117,
Münzstraße 18 at Hackescher
Markt and Friedrichstraße 210.
The buyers were mostly private
investors.
„In contrast to the general development
on the investment
market for retail properties, the
rental market, which had temporarily
slumped, has picked up
significantly again since mid-
2021,” says Andreas Kogge,
partner at COMFORT Berlin
GmbH. In 2024, a very respectable
rental result of around
500,000 square meters was
achieved across Germany. With
its size and unique mix of locations
in the absolute prime locations
of City West and East, the
Berlin market benefits from special
attention from well-known
and innovative tenants. Kurfürstendamm
and Tauentzienstraße
are still considered the
most important and best-known
shopping boulevards, with the
best section between KaDeWe
and Olivaer Platz.Interested
parties can request complete information
on Insight Berlin free
of charge from COMFORT.
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Page 17 T O M
MAP OF THE MONTH May 2025
Industry Density, Germany 2025
The Geomarketing Map of the Month for May shows the
regional distribution of industry density in Germany in
2025. According to the latest GfK Base Data, the industry
density, i.e. the number of industrial employees per 1,000
inhabitants, is especially in the old federal states above
average. The district of Wolfsburg is in first place by some
distance, with 494 out of every 1,000 inhabitants working
in the industrial sector. The districts of Schweinfurt and
Ingolstadt follow in second and third place with an industrial
density of 405 and 306 respectively. The first eastern
German district is Sonneberg in 65th place, with 109 industrial
employees per 1,000 inhabitants. Bringing up the
rear is the Potsdam district, where the industry density is
just 3.