THE FLAG Nippes converts the former General Customs Directorate administrative building at Neusser Straße 159 in Cologne’s Nippes district into housing for students and young professionals. THE FLAG, a family-owned property developer and operator, is developing the project. 12
The building’s existing structure was retained and converted into 137 apartments. THE FLAG describes the homes as designed around practical layouts, accessibility and a mix of community, comfort and functionality. 13 The project grew out of the company’s 2023 purchase of the office building, which was built in 1980 and had previously been used by the General Customs Directorate and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. 11
At the topping-out ceremony on 28 August 2025, THE FLAG said construction was progressing to plan, with the main façade in place and additional storeys being added. The company then expected the building to be completed by the end of 2025, with apartments ready for occupancy from early 2026. 1 Dr Eike Muhr, a managing director of THE FLAG, represented the company at the ceremony and commented on the project. 17
THE FLAG’s wider activities include developing and operating housing for students, young professionals, business travellers and seniors. The company says it has worked in these specialised housing formats for more than a decade and operates across Germany, Switzerland, Spain and the United States. 4 Sources describe THE FLAG as a family business but do not specify a founding date. 4