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Seymour Gris: A euro for a mall?

The failing Mall of Berlin has received a bid for its purchase – for a symbolic €1. The would-be buyers? Berlin's Club Commission, the city's nightlife lobby, who are taking a stand against "club death".

Image for Seymour Gris: A euro for a mall?
Photo by Karl Reichert (Flickr CC)

Big news from clubland! Berlin’s nightlife lobby, the Club Commission, has made a bid to take over the cursed Mall of Berlin on Leipziger Platz, with an offer to take over the entire building for €1. The body representing 140 clubs and bars pledges to rename the building “Hall of Berlin”. In a “blitz-survey” over the weekend, the Commission found its members were prepared to take over the space and invest in the location. 

Mall of Berlin stands on the original site of the legendary Tresor club, where the Berlin techno scene caught fire in the early 1990s. Tresor founder Dimitri Hegemann supports the new proposal: “My vision of ‘Techno-Towers’ with music culture and creative businesses has become tangibly close. It would return to its place of origin in Berlin’s centre.” 

Commission chairman Olaf Möller says preparations are already advanced: “Structural engineers hired by the Club Commission are currently looking into remodelling the Mall of Berlin. We’ll be soon clarifying regulatory issues with the relevant district and city authorities. 

The aquisition of the mall will be a huge step in countering so-called “club death“. Currently dozens of venues are threatened by noise complaints, real estate investment and the extension of the A100 autobahn into Treptow and Friedrichshain. 

Just like BER airport, the billion-euro Mall of Berlin has failed to meet fire safety regulations. The general contractor that built the shopping centre has declared bankruptcy. FCL Fettchenhauer Controlling GmbH owes millions in unpaid bills and wages to sub-contractors and labourers

Exberliner says: good luck, CC (and reserve some office space in there for us!)