Union, ECE to re-open refurbished Sophienhof mall

Property investor Union Investment and mall specialist ECE are set to open the refurbished element of the Sophienhof shopping gallery in the German city of Kiel.

While the existing part of the centre remained operational during the course of a €25 mln makeover, the modernised and redesigned property will welcome customers during a special event on Friday 4 October.

The 'rejuvenation cure' comprised the addition of gastronomy providers and fashion retailers with new concepts. Sophienhof now includes a large food court with 300 seats and a modernised market hall.

The centre's sales area has been increased by 2,000 m2 to a total of 28,500 m2 with about 90 specialist shops on two levels. About 1,000 parking spaces are available to visitors in the parking garage which was also modernised.

Hamburg-based ECE has managed the centre since 2008. Union Investment Real Estate, also based in Hamburg, added the centre to its open real estate fund UniImmo: Deutschland in 2012.

'With approximately 50,000 visitors, Sophienhof is one of the most frequented properties in our retail portfolio,' said Lars Richter, head of the shopping centre division at Union Investment. 'It is a lasting success: despite great challenges and strong competition, Sophienhof has developed excellently in the past 25 years. The city centre and the city of Kiel as a retail location benefit from it - and will benefit in the future.'