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[ANTIcarrot]

Having just gone through the EF booking stampede, I'm sure a lot of other people are looking forwards to when the Estrel Tower and its extra 800 rooms will be finally available. However as many of you are aware, the Estrel can't start on their own construction works until after that big road project is finished, as otherwise there would probably be subsidence issues. That being the case I figured other people might like to know how the A100 is coming along. I recently found this site on the topic, which doesn't really contain new information, but is still very comprehensive and informative about when we can expect to get those extra hotel rooms.

A100 16th Construction Segment (English)
https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?act=url&depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=auto&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=https://www.berlin.de/senuvk/bauen/strassenbau/a100_16_ba/de/vorhaben.shtml&usg=ALkJrhi6AI1HvNfGwnYKGVTkvxVSdPzAOQ

A100 16. Bauabschnitt (auf Deutsch)
https://www.berlin.de/senuvk/bauen/strassenbau/a100_16_ba/de/vorhaben.shtml

The 16th Segment is being built in several 'lots' and Lot 2 and Lot 3 are the ones next to Estrel's construction site, and are both are described as 'mostly complete'. Unfortunately Lot 1 is going to be a tunnel, which may be heavy enough to have an impact on the Extrel's site, and that's not due for completion until 2020. Though most of the geologically disruptive work should be finished by 2019, at which point Estrel should be given the go ahead to start a site survey to check their plans are still viable. The local district council also recently gave them a preliminary go ahead:
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abendblatt-berlin.de%2F2018%2F01%2F06%2Fweg-frei-fuer-estrel-tower%2F&edit-text=&act=url

TLDR; it may not be until EF26 that we see construction work start across the road from us. Assuming Estrel is on the ball and there are no further delays ... We might get to book the extra rooms for EF30, which woudl be a nice anniversary present.

At which point the rooms at Estrel might sell out in a luxurious 70 minutes, rather than the 60 minutes at present. 

[Cheetah]

Well, there's some good news, too. The district council has approved the change of the development plan for the area (americans know this as a "zoning map"), and thus the building permit has been approved. The main thing holding the project back now is in fact that the main utility access road into the current Autobahn construction site runs right through that plot of land.

(Source: Miranda Meier quoted by the Abendblatt Berlin, January 6th)

The "Tagesspiegel" newspaper also reports: "The renovation of an old Railway underpass at the Sonnenallee had to be cleared, and additionally the A100 Construction Site was blocking the 3 hectar, completely sealed plot of land. The construction site at the Sonnenalle is due to be completed within the year 2018. The planning application is being prepared, and "detailed plans" are being prepared. The Estrel Management did not want to divulge further details at this time."

So it's not the A100 in its entirety that is holding construction back, it's merely just the part at the Sonnenallee.

[Suicune]

If more than 10 people would build on the A100, stuff would go way faster. This is the max amount of people I counted - once.
Building the new part shouldn't take that long since Estrel will have an interest in finishing this project as fast as possible. Building a hightower doesn't take that long, at least when they build as efficient as in other countries.

[ANTIcarrot]

If more than 10 people would build on the A100, stuff would go way faster. This is the max amount of people I counted - once.
Building the new part shouldn't take that long since Estrel will have an interest in finishing this project as fast as possible. Building a hightower doesn't take that long, at least when they build as efficient as in other countries.

Building a tower, no, once they start, but you also have to get contractors and materials ready in a complex logistical operation. The road-contractors can probably give the Estrel contractors an approximate date for when they can start construction - but given real world uncertainties and the costs of a mistake, the Estrel contractors will probably prefer a large margin for error rather than a small one. Which means the lot may sit empty for a few months even after the road contractors are finished with it. More if any blueprints need to be adjusted for any changes in site geology since they last looked 4 years ago.

The published design for the 175m Estrel tower seems similar to the 290m Bank of America Tower, which took 5 years, but with a more complex surface. So 3 years for the tower alone (since some things don't scale with height) once they start construction. Or 4 years if they run into problems with construction or design.

Honestly hope it's sooner than that, especially if they can use the on/off ramps as access once they're completed, but EF28-EF30 would be my best guess.

[James The Dog]

At which point the rooms at Estrel might sell out in a luxurious 70 minutes, rather than the 60 minutes at present. 

You mean get the reg form filled in in 10 seconds rather than 5  Merely being there the second reg opens doesn't mean you'll get a room any more.

[Ragear]

and let's not forget when discussing timetables and goals: it's after all Berlin ... :/

[Redblood]

yeah idk how far that projeckt is by now but the comments i read so far now gave me the fear of another unfinished Berlin Airport just that Estrel starts building only then halfway finished getting told nope you can only build so high to get around 200 rooms instead of 800 because of geological trouble or sutch other stuff XD and then taking apart the tower down to said only 200 rooms DX making it a even longer build time  like i said another berlin airport happenening

[Hai λ]

... what?

[Cheetah]

Latest press release on that topic:



(Google translation)

[ANTIcarrot]

This is an old story from 2014, but it seems to contain most of the publicly available pictures and floor plans:
https://www.archdaily.com/482846/barkow-leibinger-win-competition-for-berlin-s-tallest-high-rise?ad_medium=gallery

[ANTIcarrot]

Best Practices of Freedom and Responsibility in Berlin and at the Estrel
01/03/2019

Beginning back in the early ’90s, he spotted real estate in an underdeveloped section of the Berlin district Neukölln. Recognizing that the city was in need of a sizable hotel and convention facility, he created the Estrel Berlin, which opened in 1994 as Germany’s largest hotel. Since that time, Streletzki has enjoyed the freedom to further expand the property, making it Europe’s largest hotel, congress, and entertainment complex. His creative vision continues with the recently completed, 7.2-million-euro renovation of the Estrel Atrium, as well as the addition of the Estrel Auditorium & Meeting Center in September 2020.  On the horizon for 2023 is the Estrel Tower, which will be Berlin’s tallest residential structure. Home to upward of 1,800 events a year, including such important programs as the Gates Foundation’s Grand Challenges Conference and the World Money Fair Expo, the Estrel Berlin has become Europe’s premier event location and a testimonial to freedom enabling creation.

Okay, so we apparently now have three dates:
September 2020 for (part of?) the new convention centre over the road.
End of 2021 for the opening of part of the tower (?)
Some time in 2023 for the completion of the tower (?)

In other news the hotel now has its own tomato garden / Tomatengarten.



[edit:]
And after 5ive long years, they are finally starting the last section of cut&cover tunnel under Neukollnische Strasse, which is the last bit of major civil engineering left at this end of the project, and probably one of the last things standing in the way of the tower project. Similar sections of the A100/16th took one year to complete using the water-cure method.

[ANTIcarrot]

October update:
https://www.morgenpost.de/bezirke/neukoelln/article227264689/Estrel-Tower-Wann-Berlins-hoechstes-Haus-gebaut-wird.html

Auf English...
"And now, after a few delays, the date for the start of construction is well set. It should start in the spring of 2020, said Miranda Meier, press spokeswoman for the hotel, the Berliner Morgenpost."

So come Eurofurence 26, we might actually see some construction work across the road from us. Though construction might not be finished until late 2024 or early 2025, so we're still on track for maybe using it for EF30 and very likely using it for EF31.