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CTP assumes commercial management of the Elbphilharmonie building
12 September 2017
On behalf of SPIE GmbH, CTP Asset Management Services GmbH has assumed commercial management of the Elbphilharmonie building in Hamburg. SPIE was hired to handle facility management for the building in 2013.
Alexander Lickfett, CTP Managing Director: "We are very pleased about this mandate. The Elbphilharmonie is the new landmark of Hamburg, already a huge tourist magnet, and, moreover, one of the most extraordinary properties not only in Germany but in the world. In our work for the Elbphilharmonie, we have been commissioned by SPIE GmbH and the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg Bau GmbH & Co. KG for the next three years and are handling a variety of duties."
The asset management company CTP had already been working for the Elbphilharmonie as an adviser on commercial and condo management for two years.
Andreas Frommann, CTP property manager: "The commercial building management of the Elbphilharmonie is a very demanding and complex task that is difficult to compare with other major projects. In our day-to-day work, we have a wide variety of stakeholders to satisfy and have to think and act on different commercial levels." Lickfett adds: "Our experience with large and complex property really pays off here."
CTP currently manages 27 commercial properties with around 480,000 m² of space throughout Germany for national and international investors. "Our USP is that we think and act from the owner's point of view, that's what sets us apart. So in the symphony that it takes to manage the Elbphilharmonie building, we are the instrument that manages the commercial side of the business," Lickfett concludes.
Interview with Alexander Lickfett:
You recently assumed commercial management of the Elbphilharmonie building. What are the special challenges in that mandate?
It requires work at different commercial levels, because there are multiple owners and the various statutory and community rules that need to be considered. On the other hand, there are many different users, both as owners and as tenants, such as the concert hall, the hotel, the apartments, the public area of the Plaza. All different in terms of numbers and the share in the costs. Also, everything has its role to play as the building moves from the construction phase to the management phase. Processes are being optimised and cost shares reconsidered.
The Elbphilharmonie is literally unique and difficult to compare with other major projects. As a service provider, how do you even calculate a price for your work?
We have been advising on this project for two years and therefore had a certain feeling for what it would take. Without this time, it would certainly not have been possible for us to make a serious calculation. So far, costing and workload are in a good relationship for all involved.
Price pressure and digitalisation are just two trends that are also on the agenda in building management. What topics are you currently working on?
Of course, digitalisation is also driving what we do. We have recently launched a project with our software provider so we can optimise processes and determine meaningful options for further digitalisation. Cost pressures play a subordinate role for us. We don't want to find ourselves in any price wars that are usually at the expense of quality. Our clients value our performance and the quality that goes along with it and are therefore willing to pay a fair price.
Further information on CTP Asset Management Services GmbH:
CTP Asset Management Services GmbH (CTP) is a property consultancy firm active in asset, property, and facility management. CTP currently manages 27 commercial properties in Germany with around 480,000 m² of space. The headquarters of the company is in Cologne.