Committed to society as a corporate citizen
ECE and its CEO Alexander Otto are committed to society in a variety of ways through various foundations. Their commitment focuses on developments and initiatives in the areas of education, health, art and culture, sports, social affairs, urban development, the environment and climate protection, and science. Alexander Otto's civic commitment includes not only the promotion of many small developments that benefit children, athletes or people with disabilities, for example, but also the targeted support of lighthouse projects such as the modernization of the Schwerin State Museum or the tennis stadium at Hamburg's Rothenbaum. Regardless of size, every single development is important - always with the aim of giving something back to society.
"Lebendige Stadt" Foundation
Since 2000, the "Lebendige Stadt" corporate foundation established by ECE has been pursuing the goal of promoting and maintaining cities as vibrant and diverse places to live together.
Alexander Otto Sports Foundation
The aim of the Alexander Otto Sports Foundation is to promote sports in Hamburg, especially youth and disabled sports, and to further strengthen Hamburg as a city of sports.
Versatile commitment
Partner of the cities
For ECE, city centers and shopping centers are not opposites or competitors, but part of a whole and an important building block in the competition with online retail. That is why we attach great importance to the optimal integration of our centers into the urban environment and are involved in city marketing together with other retailers. This is why ECE regularly supports cities with events and campaigns to raise their profile as a liveable and lovable site.
Sustainability is important to us
Sustainability has always been an integral part of ECE's corporate philosophy. We are not only a project development company, but as a landlord and manager we remain at the site in the long term and thus assume long-term responsibility for the properties we plan and operate. ECE attaches particular importance to ensuring that our properties integrate successfully in the long term.
ECE passes on its knowledge
As a specialist in large-scale real estate, our commitment goes far beyond the development of shopping centers, office complexes, logistics centers, hotels and residential districts. The range of developments and constructions extends to television studios and sports centers, schools and educational facilities, cultural buildings and medical facilities as well as historical monuments. For us, passing on this comprehensive know-how is an integral part of our social commitment.
Some project examples
Thanks to Alexander Otto's personal commitment and his sports foundation, the traditional tennis facility at Hamburg's Rothenbaum has been extensively modernized. ECE was responsible for the design planning and project management. Since summer 2020, the tennis facility has shone in a completely new light. The modernization included: a new closable membrane roof, the installation of new stadium seats, the creation of a Walk of Champions, the redesign of the entrance and plaza area as well as the renovation of the training courts and public toilets.
Kunsthalle Hamburg
Thanks to a donation in kind from the Dorit & Alexander Otto Foundation in the height of 15 million euros, the Hamburg Kunsthalle has been completely modernized in just 17 months under the project management of ECE. The modernization included The restoration of the original entrance area, the redesign of the collection rooms and the consolidation and optimization of the service areas. We worked closely with the municipal authorities, the Hamburger Kunsthalle and museum experts on the refurbishment of the listed building ensemble.
Alexander Otto Academy Hamburg
The Alexander Otto Academy was built right next to Hamburg's Volksparkstadion and opened in 2017 - the new youth performance center of the Bundesliga soccer club Hamburger Sport-Verein. ECE was responsible for project management and design. The construction was made possible by a private 10 million euro donation from Alexander Otto.
The city of Cologne, the "Lebendige Stadt" foundations and the Schüco company have launched a research project: Two 8 x 20 m nitrogen oxide-binding textile facades in Cologne's city center photocatalytically convert air pollutants that are harmful to health and the environment into harmless substances. The project is based on the functional principle of a smaller nitrogen oxide filter that was installed at the ECE Group's corporate campus in 2020.
The Dorit & Alexander Otto Foundation is supporting the modernization of the Staatliches Museum Schwerin with an extensive donation in kind in the form of planning services and conversion measures. The expertise we gained during the modernization of the Hamburg Kunsthalle is being used here, as ECE is also providing the construction and planning services.