Strong signal in corona times: The Deutsche Immobilien Group (DI Group) is now investing more than €12 million in the expansion and renovation of its “Rathaus Center Pankow” shopping centre. An extension is being built that will create around 2100 m² or 7% of new space. An internationally renowned retailer has already been secured as an anchor tenant for the extension.
In addition, the mall and access areas to the centre will be comprehensively refurbished, including new ceilings, lounge areas, a modern lighting concept, a revised wayfinding system and upgraded areas in front of the lifts.

“With this largest investment in the centre’s history, we are sustainably increasing the ambience and quality of stay in the ‘Rathaus Center’ and at the same time broadening the range of offers,” says Benedikt Jagdfeld. “The fact that we initiated this in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and can now finally realise it after lengthy approval procedures makes me particularly proud,” says the DI boss.

While the refurbishment is due to be completed at the end of the year, the handover of the space in the extension to the tenants is planned for early 2023. Rossmann, among others, will be represented there with a shop that has been significantly enlarged from around 700 m² to around 1,000 m².

However, customers are already benefiting from the rapid progress of the construction work. Deichmann, for example, used the work in the centre to build a new modern shop, which will reopen in the same location today (525 m²). And in April, the owner-managed fashion shop “Mila Moda” (85 m²) and the Bubbletea shop “Bobalism” (86 m²), two new tenants, will open their doors on the ground floor.

The “Rathaus Centre Pankow”
The DI Group developed and built the “Rathaus-Center Pankow” in 1999 and has been managing it for an institutional investor ever since. With almost 30,000 m² of space and 80 shops as well as an adjoining medical centre, it is the central shopping centre of Berlin’s largest district. The anchor tenants are Kaufland, C&A and MEDIMAX.