A historic residential and commercial building in a central location in Bremen-Vegesack has changed hands. Robert C. Spies Immobiliengruppe successfully brokered the property at Breite Strasse 21–22 to Gabriel & Söhne Immobilien GmbH. The buyer is a regional property developer active across the Bremen area. Constructed in 1898, the building encompasses a total residential and usable area of approximately 934 square metres and has shaped the local townscape for more than a century.
The property is distinguished by its prominent corner position directly opposite the Vegesack pedestrian zone and the main high street, Gerhard-Rohlfs-Strasse. For generations, the building housed the long-established, owner-managed bookshop Otto & Sohn, which was founded in 1927 and received the Bremen Bookshop Prize in 2021. After almost one hundred years, the cultural institution ceased trading, clearing the way for a structural repositioning of the site.
New concept of use to revitalise the town centre
A fundamental change of use is planned for the historic building, aimed at injecting fresh functional momentum into the heart of Vegesack. The development plans by Gabriel & Söhne Immobilien GmbH envisage a diversified mix of uses that appeals to varied target groups and delivers long-term regeneration to the location.
- —Creation of modern student accommodation on the upper floors of the building
- —Establishment of food and beverage space on the ground floor to enhance the urban quality of stay
- —Integration of a local convenience store on the ground floor to serve daily needs
Abraham Gabriel, Managing Director of Gabriel & Söhne Immobilien GmbH, explained the commitment by pointing to confidence in the development potential of established district centres in Bremen-Nord. Vibrant town centres depend on people living, shopping and spending time locally. The aim of the upcoming redevelopment is therefore to preserve the historic building as an integral element of urban life and secure its long-term viability.
The brokering estate agency also assessed the transaction positively. Jan Schneider, Managing Partner of Robert C. Spies Immobilien im Bremer Norden GmbH, noted that the repositioning highlights the significant potential of historic residential and commercial buildings within established core locations. Martin Mader, the former owner of the Otto & Sohn bookshop, reflected on his close ties to the location and welcomed the fact that the sale offers the historic property a viable outlook for the future.
