After an eight year wait, one of Germany's largest malls has finally opened with 100,000 square meters of retail, dining and event space.
170 stores, 40 dining experiences, a new art museum, three hotels and a cruise ship terminal – The city of Hamburg has waited eight years for Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier, the latest section of Hafencity to open. After numerous delays over the years, Hamburg's First Mayor Dr. Peter Tschtentscher finally opened the new mall last Tuesday.
Located directly on the River Elbe with its own pier and terminal for cruise ships, the new mall is right in the heart of Hamburg – just a 15-minute walk (or one subway stop) from the city center, Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier seeks to be more than just a consumer temple: Its Port des Lumières multimedia art experience and the ten cinemas of Kinopolis also offer culture and entertainment.
One major attraction is the 40 eateries that now call the area home, ranging from the innovative fish restaurant Pesca – Theatre of fish directly on the Elbe, Elemente's Latin American flavors, to the Air Bar on the 13th floor of one of the iconic office towers on the waterfront. Some well-established local names were also drawn to the new neighborhood: One of them is Stefan Fäth, head chef of the Michelin-starred restaurant "Jellyfish by Stefan Fäth", who created the concept and recipes at Galactic Bread, an innovative new bakery that crafts both traditional and avant-garde baked goods.
The Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier investor group expects around 16 million visitors annually, hoping that many will stay in the three new hotels or even seek employment: 10,000 new jobs have been created here.
The project cost €2.44 billion and was erected on the former site of a gas factory with a strong emphasis on sustainability. It is part of one of the largest urban development projects in Europe – Hamburg HafenCity – which has been gradually rejuvenating Hamburg's former harbor and warehouse district for 25 years. The plan is to complement the city center, which is connected to HafenCity via a subway and bus line.
