'Google go home': the Berlin neighbourhood fighting off a tech giant

Post by [deleted] » Wed, May 09, 2018, 1:15 PM UTC

jk2323 wrote: post #122

mhomde wrote: post #9

I think Berlins "Poor but happy" times are fast coming to an end. Rents have been rising quickly the last few years and tech companies and startups becoming more prevalent. Heck, Neukölln went from being a cheap alternative to being as trendy and expensive as Kreuzberg. Berlin kinda, from what I understand, enjoyed it's special culture much because it wasn't an industrial city and lacked an large international airpor…

"Mark my words, Berlin will be Europe's Silicon Valley within a few years." Doubt it. Lack of professional attitude. Disastrous politicians. 3rd tier universities. Lack of capital. Large underclass, big welfare spending. It is very hard to set up a "silicon valley". The silicon valley had and has some very unique points, including military origins, if I remember right. Germany still has a strong and broad industry, w…

Post by guywhocodes » Wed, May 09, 2018, 1:22 PM UTC

biztos wrote: post #34

mhomde wrote: post #9

I think Berlins "Poor but happy" times are fast coming to an end. Rents have been rising quickly the last few years and tech companies and startups becoming more prevalent. Heck, Neukölln went from being a cheap alternative to being as trendy and expensive as Kreuzberg. Berlin kinda, from what I understand, enjoyed it's special culture much because it wasn't an industrial city and lacked an large international airpor…

I agree completely that "cheap Berlin" is rapidly disappearing. Just this morning I was checking real-estate prices[0] for the first time in a few years and was a bit shocked. Folks in Silicon Valley or Munich or Hamburg would probably still find it cheap-ish but AFAIK local salaries have not remotely kept up with this trend. A million Euros for a nice family-sized flat in a good neighborhood is not exotic anymore, b…

Post by V-2 » Wed, May 09, 2018, 1:26 PM UTC

jk2323 wrote: post #132

V-2 wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your point about "language" isn't convincing to me, as everyone speaks English in the IT sector anyway. And what sort of "xenophobia" are you referring to?

Many of the East European countries are not very open and friendly to foreigners. Speak Poland, Czech Republic for example. Travel there and see for yourself. Sometimes it is country specific (e.g. Russians and Germans in Poland) or Ethnic specific (Say Hungary and Poland) or sometimes they hate everyone (speak Czech republic). Travel there to see yourself. Try to bring a foreign looking girl friend. Enjoy. People in…

Post by scandox » Wed, May 09, 2018, 1:29 PM UTC

ido wrote: post #128

scandox wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even 5 years ago when I spent 3 months in Berlin the idea of calling Neuköln trendy would have seemed pretty nuts. So I think that suggests something radical is happening.

I think your memory may be faulty or you weren't that well integrated into the local "scene". 5 years ago was 2013, I was already living in Berlin back then and Neuköln was already billed as "the next Kreuzberg". 10 years ago...you may have had a point. But also remember that then and now we're only talking about very specific areas of Neuköln which are super hip, it's actually a huge district and most of it is still…

Post by jpla » Wed, May 09, 2018, 1:37 PM UTC

jpatokal wrote: post #106

jpla wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The situation are a bit different though. The Bay Area is competitive despite its housing market, while Berlin to a large extent is competitive because of its housing market. If rents become similar to other major European cities Berlin will lose a lot of its appeal and potential compared to those other cities.

Silicon Valley became what it is today because there was cheap industrial land for chip fabs and random startups.