Berlin’s new address for urban life combines living, retail, gastronomy and lifestyle in one place
The FU.Life Group has signed a long-term lease for 217 serviced apartments in Boulevard Berlin, significantly shaping the transformation of one of the capital’s best-known shopping destinations into a mixed-use residential ensemble with numerous next-generation lifestyle offerings. In total, FU.Life will take on an area of around 12,000 m², of which approx. 8,000 m² will be divided between the apartments, approx. 3,000 m² will be an atrium area as a central meeting and lounge area, and approx. 1,000 m² will be divided between the terrace and common areas.
The Boulevard Berlin on Schlossstraße in Berlin-Steglitz, one of the highest-turnover shopping streets in Germany, is entering a new phase of development. Selected areas of the well-known shopping mall will be converted into 217 fully furnished serviced apartments, complemented by dining, impressive communal areas and shared facilities.
Instead of replacing the existing shopping centre, the concept will introduce “living” as a new component to the established ecosystem of Boulevard Berlin. The result will combine living, shopping, dining, fitness, working and community activities in one urban location, extending activities beyond traditional shop opening hours and creating new synergies between residents, visitors and existing tenants.
FU.Life will play a central role in this transformation and will operate 217 fully furnished apartments under a long-term lease. The lease agreement was concluded with the owners of Boulevard Berlin, represented by Dunman Capital as operating partner. The opening of the new FU. Life site is planned for 2028.
The future tenants will benefit from the infrastructure already available in Boulevard Berlin, including restaurants, cafés, fitness and wellness facilities, coworking and community spaces, as well as direct connections to Berlin’s public transport network via the underground station integrated into the property.
From shopping center to urban place of residence
The project reflects a trend that is taking place in many European cities. As consumer behaviour changes and the demand for flexible, professionally managed urban living spaces continues to grow, established commercial properties are increasingly lending themselves to broader mixed-use.
Boulevard Berlin shows the potential of such an approach to a large extent: instead of developing a residential project in isolation, new residential space is integrated into an existing urban location that already has established infrastructure, good public transport connections, retail, gastronomy and services.
Josip Kardun, Managing Partner, Dunman Capital
“The lease agreement with FU.Life represents an important milestone in the transformation of Boulevard Berlin and underlines the great potential of mixed-use concepts for first-class inner-city properties. With more than 50% of the newly positioned space already let, we are well on our way to realizing our vision of a vibrant, future-oriented urban center. We would like to thank FU.Life for the trusting and constructive cooperation. Due to their extensive expertise in the areas of living concepts, guest-oriented operation and community-oriented living, FU.Life is the ideal partner for this project.”
Henning Zimmermann, Managing Partner, Dunman Capital
“FU.Life is an important partner in realizing our vision for this property. Their expertise in community-oriented living and operations is instrumental in creating a sustainable lifestyle location with long-term appeal. This collaboration reflects Dunman Capital’s core competency of repositioning complex existing properties and connecting them with the right operational partners. Together, we are laying the foundation for a vibrant, mixed-use environment while continuing to drive forward the repositioning and leasing of the property.”
Georg Haider, Managing Partner, FU.Life Group
“Boulevard Berlin is more than a renovation project. It is a model of how established commercial properties can evolve into vibrant, mixed-use lifestyle living that is entirely tailored to the way people want to live, work and socialize today. Our platform and expertise in the housing sector, as well as the community-oriented approach, will play a central role in this conversion. By combining high-end apartments, well-thought-out services and lifestyle offerings, we will create a distinctive urban location that is second to none.”
Eyal Gicelter, Managing Partner, FU.Life Group
“Boulevard Berlin embodies exactly the kind of projects that we believe will shape the future of urban living. Instead of developing housing as an independent product, we are integrating housing into an established location where retail, gastronomy, mobility, fitness and community are already available. For FU.Life, this is the next evolutionary stage of ‘Commercial Living’: the conversion of existing urban complexes into holistic lifestyle living experiences that are aligned with how people want to live in the future.”
