At full steam – Adlershof is surpassing itself
In a few years‘ time, a railway property of 40 hectares in size will be added to the development area, enhancing the range of services on site
At one time, almost a third of the goods traffic coming from and going to Berlin was handled here. Then the war broke out, Germany was divided, and the steam began to clear. Since 1998, the Schöneweide railway yard has been lying fallow. Only steam locomotive enthusiasts occasionally gather here to fire the boiler for nostalgic train journeys starting from the heritage-protected roundhouse. The remaining area is long overgrown.
40-hectare industrial area
However, if all goes as planned, commercial life will return before long. Deutsche Bahn AG, the State of Berlin and the district government of Treptow-Köpenick have signed a treaty for the development of a 40-hectare industrial area – a project indicative of the fact that the development area of Adlershof has long begun to invigorate the industries of its surroundings. Public authorities will put 11 million Euro into the development of the area of which 12 hectares alone are assigned to new streets and squares, a green corridor along the railway line as well as the steam locomotive fans‘ landmarked ensemble. The remaining area is intended for general land-use.
In Berlin, more than 2,000 hectares of land are railway property. There are good reasons for German Rail to become active in Adlershof: Spaces are ideally suited for manufacturing industry, businesses requiring large spaces, and expanding companies based in the city centre which, in fact, is not far away at all. The development area is flanked by Schöneweide station on the one end and Adlershof S-Bahn station on the other. Moreover, the ever-growing City of Science has already generated an urban infrastructure right on its doorstep. “This is what makes the location extremely attractive,“ explains Deutsche Bahn AG project manager Wolfgang Stahnke.
New bridge for cyclists and pedestrians
The project will kick off in 2014. With German Rail transferring a three kilometer track section located on the edge of the premises and still in use today, the path will be cleared for the extension of Adlershof’s road network right into the area. Also planned is a new bridge for cyclists and pedestrians, crossing the tracks as well as the B96a motorway. The bridge is intended to link the eastern part of Johannisthal landscape park to the woodlands of Köllnische Heide.
Before the construction team will be able to march in, however, a very special type of accommodation needed to be found, as even for the woodlark (Lullula arborea), housing in Berlin is tight. Alternative accommodation for songbirds and other species inhabiting dry open grass lands is sparse. In Fredersdorf/Brandenburg, German Rail eventually found an area available for a longterm let and big enough to suit the biotopic needs of the species. It will serve as a sustained habitat for plant and animal life.
By Louis Back for Adlershof Special