Published
Wed, Feb 3, 2010, 09:00
- The beach-side nightclub, once one of Berlin's summer favorites, is scheduled to be torn down in the months ahead.
Rechenzentrum / Funkpark has announced it will definitely not be re-opening this summer, having lost its lease to Reederei Riedel, a tourist-boat company that runs daytime excursions on the Spree.
The club was discretely tucked away in the Southeast corner of Berlin, on the former site of a GDR radio broadcasting center. It consisted of an indoor space (Rechenzentrum) as well as a sandy beach-side dance floor (the Funkpark), complete with lounge chairs and umbrellas. In the two years it was open, Rechenzentrum / Funkpark's programming mainly focused on house and minimal, and the venue eventually gained a reputation as one of best summer party spots in the city.
The club's lease was due to expire this Fall, but owners hoped to renew for another two years, despite pressure from Reederei Riedel. To weaken Rechenzentrum / Funkpark's case for renewal, the tourist boat company claimed that the property was a health hazard, as it had once been used as a fueling depot and now exposed patrons to harmful fumes rising out of the sand. Various environmental agencies refuted this claim, but the tourist boat company still got their way. Reederei Riedel obtained the property once Rechenzentrum's lease expired, and the club will now be replaced by docks where tourist boats can be repaired and stored.