A makeover for industrial premises: BEOS leases revitalised real estate
We were very nearly afraid of coming too late, recalled Jan Plückhahn. When the Berlin project developer BEOS came to Adlershof in 2008, the demand for real estate was already at a dizzying level.
Yet BEOS wasn’t looking for its own needs. “Our speciality is buying and revitalising old industrial real estate, i.e. making it presentable to the market and leasing it,” explained Plückhahn. “For years we have been concentrating on developing customised leasing solutions nationwide, predominantly for SMEs.”
BEOS’ quest succeeded in Adlershof. “Our search is restricted to mixed use commercial and industrial space,” explained Plückhahn. This so called corporate real estate provides space for the most diverse range of operational processes and functions – for research, production, repairs, management, or even exhibitions. “All activities that can be found in Adlershof,” concluded Plückhahn. “Especially here, corporate real estate must allow easy conversion to new uses and equipment. Where production is today, can be management or research tomorrow. Whereas evolved corporate premises are often suitable for other uses, most office buildings can only hope to find another office user.”
BEOS’ search ended at Sportfliegerstraße und Groß-Berliner Damm. In 2008, some of these stock buildings with production and office space had seen better days. “Thirteen percent of the Sportfliegerstraße industrial estate was lying idle, and this was even 100 percent at Groß-Berliner Damm,” recalled Plückhahn. BEOS cleaned up, renovated, converted the space and infrastructure, and integrated the ideas submitted by the new tenants. Now the space has been leased over the long term – not least because it costs less than the new buildings in the vicinity. The leases, e.g. with the biotech company AB Diagnostic Systems, the print shop Stein + Lehmann, and the catering company Optimahl, run for up to ten years.
“In actual fact we could lease a great deal more. The demand for low cost, quality space is high. But we’re full.” And so the company is continuing its search for other stock buildings in Adlershof. Plückhahn sees too much shortsightedness in basing decisions for new investments on the present level of demand: “We were convinced above all by the long term prospects offered by the Adlershof location.” Plückhahn senses an atmosphere of optimism in Adlershof: “The location will be benefiting in future from the enormous potential provided above all by the new international airport.”