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Berlin Begins Demolition of GDR-Era SEZ for WBM-Led Housing Project

Plans call for roughly 550 apartments and a 12‑storey tower under state ownership.

Overview

  • Excavators started tearing down the long-closed SEZ in Friedrichshain on Thursday at Landsberger Allee/Danziger Straße.
  • Only select elements are set to be salvaged for storage and later reuse, including the old diving tower, the covered walkway and the sculpture of a bather.
  • The redevelopment envisions about 550 homes on roughly 30,000 square meters, with half designated as subsidized housing alongside new commercial space.
  • A local initiative gathered on site to oppose the teardown and reported filing a criminal complaint, while Green lawmaker Julian Schwarze called for the works to stop.
  • Local reporting projects the demolition to finish within about a year, with little of the complex remaining by late 2026.