Gerling Quartier
Project in preparation - expected building start Q1 2009
Gerling – For people outside ofColognethis is one of the truly renowned names among the German insurance houses. For Cologne-aficionados, this name represents an entire city quarter in a sought-after down-town location still within the ring. With the acquisition of the Gerling headquarters in the heart of CologneFrankonia takes on one of the biggest challenges in its company history.
In the early twenties, Gerling acquires the first properties in Cologne to protect the company capital from inflation. In the years of the Wirtschaftswunder, the "economic miracle" of the upturn of post-war West Germany, Dr. Hans Gerling orders the design and construction of an entire ensemble of buildings after his own ideas by renowned architects in the area called "Friesenviertel". Even today, the unmistakable style of the post-war modernity with its classic elegant natural stone facades characterizes the city quarter east of the Hohenzollern and Kaiser Wilhelm ring. This way, the architectural monuments by famous architects such as Prof. Franz Heinrich Sobotka, Prof. Gustav Müller and others that are unique to date, came into existence.
After the Gerling group was sold to the Talanx concern and the reorganizations that followed, Frankonia Eurobau AG, together with Immofinanz AG as partner, were able to secure the unique and self-contained real-estate portfolio of the Gerling Headquarters: A total of ca. 46,000 m2 in property ground with an existing building volume of ca. 127,000 m2.
However it's not the - by all means - impressive size that gives way to the fascination for this exquisite piece of inner city Cologne. In particular the outstanding existing buildings, the noble natural stone facades, the representative and luminous reception areas, as well as the opulent interior design with its many elaborate details bestow the unique character upon this self-contained ensemble.
This, both in its architecture and urban-construction quality highly sophisticated ensemble that purely consists of office buildings in the best city center locations now is to become a vivacious city quarter that sets international standards. In addition to retail and office space ca. 140 high-spec apartments as well as service apartments are planned. As principle lessee, Gerling will continue to use their headquarters through to the end of 2008. During this time Frankonia will finalize the development of the quarter and start with the reconstruction in 2009. All reconstruction and modernization measures will be completed in 2013.