McDermott advises die developer on 393,000 sq ft office lease at “NEW HEART on the block” to global energy company Uniper

McDermott Will & Schulte advised die developerProjektentwicklung GmbH (“die developer”) on the conclusion of an office lease agreement with global energy company Uniper for approx. 36,500 square meters (393,000 sq ft) in the new “NEW HEART on the block” project in Düsseldorf.

From 2030, the 120-meter (394 ft) office tower is set to serve as the energy company’s new corporate headquarters, bringing together around 2,900 Uniper employees currently based across two buildings in the Düsseldorf “Medienhafen” in one single location.

Uniper signed a long-term lease for 31 floors. With the agreement, die developer successfully secured one of Düsseldorf’s largest employers as anchor tenant for their “NEW HEART on the block” development project.

NEW HEART on the block has been under development by die developer since 2022. McDermott previously advised die developer on the acquisition of the project site. The existing building is currently being demolished, with construction of the new building scheduled to begin in early 2027. In addition to the office tower, the development shall include a residential tower and a pavilion featuring common areas, dining options and local amenities.

The die developer Projektentwicklung GmbH, a subsidiary of ZECH Real Estate AG, is one of Germany’s most renowned project developers and is known for landmark projects such as the Kö-Bogen, Eclipse, and Horizon, among others. The company has been developing real estate projects in North Rhine-Westphalia since 2008 and in Berlin since 2020.

The McDermott team was led by partners Jens Ortmanns and Thomas Beisken and included partner Sebastian Bonk and associate Alina Affeld.