Further milestone in the Speicherstadt – Block V celebrates topping-out ceremony

The block, which is over 100 years old, is situated in a prominent location along the historic dome axis – with views towards HafenCity on one side and Hamburg’s Old Town on the other. The location not only connects two central urban areas but also symbolises the task of reconciling historical heritage with contemporary use.

As part of the refurbishment, the listed building fabric of the former warehouse block is being comprehensively restored and upgraded. This is complemented by modern technical standards, including integrated heating and cooling ceilings. The result is a building that meets the requirements of today’s working environments while preserving its architectural and urban-historical identity.

“A topping-out ceremony is always a visible sign of progress,” says Alexander Kirchmann, project manager at HHLA Immobilien. “Particularly with a building like Block V, it is a matter of working with respect for the existing structure whilst at the same time finding solutions that will make the building usable for decades to come.”

Demand for these distinctive spaces is already clearly evident, with a high pre-letting emerging at this early stage. Completion of the project is scheduled for the first quarter of 2028. Block V is thus part of a series of refurbishment measures designed to gradually restate the Speicherstadt historical warehouse district to current economic and technical requirements.

From HHLA Real Estate’s perspective, the preservation and continued use of existing buildings plays a central role – also with regard to climate protection and resource conservation. “Dealing with historic building fabric is always an ecological issue too,” emphasises Rainer Schluff, Technical Managing Director of HHLA Immobilien. “Any renovation that preserves and further develops existing structures saves embodied energy and avoids additional emissions.”

For around 140 years, the Speicherstadt historical warehouse district has been a place of change and work. With projects such as Block V this history is being continued  – as a vibrant commercial district that preserves its historical significance while at the same time creating space for contemporary use.

As part of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG, HHLA Real Estate is responsible for building management and district development. Founded in 1885 for the construction of Hamburg's Speicherstadt, HHLA's real estate segment continues to manage this historically unique brick ensemble to this day, but has expanded its portfolio to include Hamburg's fishing port area and numerous commercial and logistics properties in the port area. In the Speicherstadt, the focus is on careful structural change and the sustainable development of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thanks to HHLA's intelligent district management, the Speicherstadt has developed from what was once the world's largest warehouse complex into a lively inner-city district.

Further information is available at https://hhla.de/en/speicherstadt