HafenCity

HafenCity (German pronunciation: [ˈhaːfn̩ˌsɪti] ) is a quarter in the borough of Hamburg-Mitte, Hamburg, Germany. It is located on the Elbe river island Grasbrook, on the former Port of Hamburg area. It was formally established in 2008 and also includes the historical Speicherstadt area, which since 2015 is an UNESCO World Heritage Site with the adjacent Kontorhausviertel. The main landmark of the HafenCity is the Elbphilharmonie concert hall. In a narrower sense, HafenCity Hamburg is a project of urban regeneration where the "greater Grasbrook" area of the former Hamburg free port is being revitalised with new hotels, shops, office buildings, and residential areas. The project is considered the largest urban redevelopment project in Europe by landmass, at approximately 2.2 square kilometres (220 ha). With the diminished economic importance of free ports in an era of European Union free trade, large container ships, and increased border security, the Hamburg free port was downsized, relieving the current HafenCity area of its restrictions. The ground-breaking ceremony was held on 20 June 2001, with the first quarter called "Am Dalmannkai/Sandtorkai", neighboring the Elbphilharmonie, completed in 2009. When completely developed, the HafenCity area is projected to be home to about 12,000 people and the workplace of 40,000 people.