Hines, a global investment manager, has acquired the Marienhöfe residential quarter in Berlin-Tempelhof as part of forward funding for its Hines European Core Fund (HECF). The seller is RS Immobilien GmbH & Co. KG, a company owned by the Semer family.
The residential quarter is part of a larger, mixed-use neighbourhood development on the site of the former Mariendorf freight station. In the future, this will comprise a total of twelve buildings mainly used for residential purposes. The total lettable area is approx. 85,000 m², of which approx. 63,000 m² is attributable to the residential area. Around 880 one- to five-room apartments are planned for rent. About 30 percent of this is to be socially subsidized housing. The remaining area is intended for assisted living with at least 50 units, a medical care center as well as retail, gastronomy and a gym. The quarter will be realised with a fossil-free energy concept and is aiming for DGNB building certification in gold.
"This acquisition underlines our global strategic approach of weighting our commitment to the residential asset class even more strongly than before compared to other asset classes. At the same time, we remain true to our diversified approach and continue to pursue office, logistics and data centers in Germany and Poland. With the Marienhöfe, we are making our largest residential investment in Germany to date," emphasizes Alexander Möll, Senior Managing Director and responsible for Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland at Hines.
"With this step, we are focusing specifically on a forward-looking residential quarter that combines urban planning quality, social mix and ecological responsibility. For the Hines European Core Fund, this is an important step towards further aligning the portfolio towards resilient, urban living spaces in the interests of our investors. In a challenging market environment, this transaction demonstrates our strategic confidence in modern residential properties in strong European locations such as Berlin," adds Simone Pozzato, responsible manager of the special fund "Hines European Core Fund (HECF)".
The project will be implemented in several construction phases. The building permits for this have been obtained. The official launch has already taken place. Completion of the first houses is planned from the third quarter of 2027. As seller and project developer, RS Immobilien is responsible for the completion of the project. Goldbeck GmbH acts as the total contractor. Hines is responsible for project monitoring and asset management.
The Marienhöfe correspond to the concept of a 15-minute city: the residents do not need to travel long distances in their daily lives. Everything you need is available on site – for all generations. The connection to public transport is excellent with the immediately adjacent Attilastraße and Südende S-Bahn stations. These offer direct connections to central Berlin hubs such as Südkreuz, Potsdamer Platz and Friedrichstraße. Motorised private transport will be largely restricted. An underground car park under the quarter is to ensure stationary traffic and promote the use of cycle paths and footpaths. The quarter is also to be designed to be barrier-free.
Hines was legally advised on the purchase by the law firm Poellath. The tax advice was provided by Ernst & Young, the technical Diete + Siepmann. Knight Frank supported the commercial advice.
