Frequently asked questions

How can I rent or buy accommodation in HafenCity? How green is the district? And what are the responsibilities of HafenCity Hamburg GmbH? Answers to frequently asked questions

Mobility

How do I get to HafenCity without a car?

HafenCity enjoys a variety of connections to the public transport network and is quick and easy to reach, whether by bus, U-Bahn underground or ferry

When will I be able to use the U4 and where will it stop?

The U4 will start operating in September 2012, initially at 10-minute intervals. Inside HafenCity, the Überseequartier and HafenCity University stops are currently under construction. In the medium term, the U4 will also make "the leap over the Elbe".

Where can I park my car in HafenCity?

HafenCity will offer public and private underground car garages. All buildings contain two to three floors of parking space inside their plinths, which also serve to elevate the building above flood level.

What are the plans for the HafenCity cycling lane network?

It is too early to see how the network of cycling lanes will look in HafenCity because they cannot be laid out until the buildings on adjacent private sites are completed. The transport concept provides for three sorts of cycling path in HafenCity.

Why doesn’t the U4 line have any overground sections?

Before the final route of the new U4 underground line was decided, alternatives with an overground layout were also analyzed. There were important arguments against realizing the above-ground version.

Living & Working

How are HafenCity’s businesses developing?

More than 270 companies had moved into HafenCity by fall 2010. And the number of jobs provided has almost doubled in the past two years. The new city district offers the best conditions for the location of small and medium-size as well as large enterprises.

How can I rent or buy accommodation in HafenCity?

There are many routes to renting or buying your own home. New buildings are being completed all the time. HafenCity Hamburg GmbH’s booklet on housing, working and living in HafenCity offers an overview.

What is the cost of accommodation in HafenCity?

The price for rental apartments on Dalmannkai works out at EUR 12 to 18 per square meter; for housing cooperatives the price is between EUR 9 and 13.5 per sq. m. Purchase prices for apartments range from EUR 3,000 to 4,500 per sq. m, although exclusive homes close to the water may fetch up to EUR 10,000 per sq. m.

Which companies are already settled in HafenCity?

There are already around 200 businesses (as of autumn 2008) operating out of HafenCity. And this new part of town offers optimal conditions for small or medium businesses as well as very large companies to set up operations.

Who lives in HafenCity?

People with greatly differing lifestyles and concepts can find accommodation to suit them: young professionals, singles, couples, families, so-called “empty nesters” and seniors all now live in the new district.

Leisure & Culture

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What kind of shops are opening in HafenCity?

Attractive urban neighborhoods owe a lot to the types of retail and restaurant concepts which choose to establish themselves in the area. Opportunities to chill and shop are vital if people are to be attracted into the district to spend time there. Demand for opportunities for "retail therapy" and enjoyment is also strong in this new part of town. Local supplies are already available in Am Sandtorkai/Dalmannkai neighborhood, to serve the needs of residents and people working in surrounding neighborhoods.

In Überseequartier quarter, which adjoins the neighborhood, where the northern part opened in May 2011, retailers and the food and drink sector cater to visitors from the whole Hamburg Metropolitan Region, as well as tourists coming to Hamburg. In the end, Überseeboulevard will offer around 40,000 sq. m of sales area. Innovative retail formats will abound here, such as branches of chains not yet represented in Germany, offering quality products, or shops that combine products innovatively, such as music downloads and coffee specialties. On top of this will be an enormous variety of eateries and bars. Space will also be taken by "normal" supermarkets, drugstores, fashion and accessory shops. Thus HafenCity will complement the current range of Hamburg retailers. The new outlets along Überseeboulevard will give shopping in Hamburg a new allure - and build on the attractions of existing stores around Mönckebergstrasse and Gänsemarkt. The only surviving brick-built building in the vicinity of Überseequartier, Altes Hafenamt, the old port authority building, will be transformed into a retail and gastronomy concept.

In other areas of HafenCity, such as Dalmannkai, however, most of the retailers are smaller. Here there are bakeries, cafés, bistros and restaurants serving the needs of visitors, residents and HafenCity’s workforce alike with food and drink. Retail or gastronomic concepts are often designed especially to chime in with the location such as, for example, Meßmer Momentum on Dalmannkai which ushers shoppers into the world of tea and conjures up again the history of the location as a global trading hub for tea and coffee.

Concepts & Planning

Why was the Ecolabel reworked?

Initially the Ecolabel applied to residential and office buildings; in 2010 its remit was broadened to include hotel, retail and mixed use buildings.

When will the new district be finished?

HafenCity is being developed in stages. The first areas to be realized are in the north and west, where it directly adjoins the present-day inner city and the Speicherstadt. Completion of the whole district is scheduled for 2025.

Is HafenCity causing gentrification?

The term "gentrification" cannot be applied to HafenCity, because residents cannot be forced out of their homes by higher-income households, since no housing existed there until now.

Will public space in HafenCity be privatized?

The development of HafenCity is actually giving Hamburgers back a piece of their city - plus generous new spaces along the waterfront. Brownfield sites - areas formerly used by industry - are being transformed into an inner-city district with high-quality amenity value. Furthermore, many private spaces are open for public use.

Is HafenCity flood proof against storm surges?

All buildings in HafenCity are elevated on concrete plinths (German "Warften") at a height of about 8 meters above sea level; even in cases of severe high water, this height will not be reached. Roads and bridges are also being built above the flood-line at least 7.5 meters above sea level.

What role does sustainability play in HafenCity?

When the HafenCity project began, the main focus was on topics like sustainability or regeneration of the central former port area where the ground was partially contaminated, as well as the compatibility of housing and port operations. As planning progressed further, new topics followed such as an energy-efficient, climate-friendly heating supply and the development of sustainable building certification.

How green is HafenCity?

HafenCity will display a whole series of typologies of open public spaces: squares planted with trees, smaller "pocket parks", grassed and play areas, as well as Lohsepark, the central inner-city park; all streets will have tree planting.

What are the responsibilities of HafenCity Hamburg GmbH?

HafenCity Hamburg GmbH (HCH) is responsible for ensuring the integrated management of Europe’s largest inner-city development. It combines responsibilities for most aspects of development, which means that it is a one-stop shop for potential site owners, as well as users, residents and government departments.

How are sites in HafenCity allocated to developers?

Developers have to face the competition: where housing sites, hotels and buildings primarily involve retail, there will be a tendering process; where office buildings are concerned, they must be proved to bring measurable economic benefit.

How are decisions made on architects or architectural designs for individual projects?

Depending on the size and uses of the project, architectural competitions are either held involving a limited number of invited architects, or preceded by an open application procedure.

How do streets come by their names?

The decision to give roads and squares in the new HafenCity district the names of various groups of motifs was made by Hamburg’s Senate in 2005. Inspiration was provided by international connections of the Port of Hamburg, both old and new.

How is the HafenCity Ecolabel awarded?

The HafenCity Ecolabel, which honors special (silver) and outstanding (gold) achievements in construction of sustainable buildings is important as a stimulus for sustainable building in HafenCity.

How is HafenCity financed?

Public financing of major international urban development projects is normally highly complex, e.g. because of mixed financing and the provision of funds from various public levels or, particularly prone to risk, bonds financed by local authorities which are serviced by future tax revenues or by attempts to roll over public responsibilities onto private investors. HafenCity’s financing model, on the other hand, is clear-cut and low-risk.