Berlin: new resi project where once the Nazis surrendered and the KGB ruled

Berlin-Karlshorst was established in the late 19th century as garden-city of Berlin, in the North-East of the city. After the WW II it has long been the place only known for the unconditional surrender of the Deutsche Wehrmacht.

After that the KGB took the caserne as their HQ in Eastern Germany. When in 1994 the Russian Allies left Eastern Germany, the premises were partially converted into the German-Russian Museum.

We are now in 2010 and the spot has seen many suggestions come and go. Finally the developer "Rentenvorsorge GbR" was the winner and is now building 340 flats for 2.080 EUR / m² (according to Immobilienzeitung of 28 Jan 2010). This is not the first project where a caserne is transformed into a residential project and apparently this time it could become another success-story. Until 2011 also 40 townhouses are planned. 60 flats are already sold. The construction will begin these days (once the German winter will finally be over). The caserne had been built in the 1930s, a solid construction under monument protection. This will give the buyers some additional tax goodies.

The developer took a smart decision: he let's people get a "touch and feel": there are guided tours around this historical place and the museums got what the workers found inside the buildings. The neighbours became friendly with the project and some of them have already issued letters of interest for a future purchase.

The picture shows the signature of surrender on May 8, 1945.

Karlshorst 2009:

Karlshorst 2011?