PwC Study: Repurposing Department Stores as Mixed-Use Hubs Boosts Urban Sustainability
A recent study by PwC (2024) explores the economic feasibility of transforming former department stores into mixed-use properties, with notable regional differences in profitability. As cities strive to maintain their role as service hubs, mixed-use zones offer flexibility in combining living and working spaces. Germany's 'fast-track construction' law aims to boost housing development by streamlining approvals and planning for repurposing and densifying existing urban structures.
The shift in retail is reshaping urban landscapes, leaving many department stores and shopping malls vacant due to declining sales and changing consumer habits. Repurposing existing buildings presents an opportunity to create urgently needed housing without consuming new land, preserving embodied energy, and revitalizing central locations. In Berlin, an extraordinary residential project is underway at Mirbachplatz in Weißensee, converting the former Bethanien Church into 17 apartments by the end of 2026.
New laws like the 'Bau-Turbo' (Fast-Track Construction Act) and innovative pilot projects aim to accelerate urban development and sustainability. Berlin offers diverse repurposing success stories, such as transforming a former office building into a senior co-living community and converting a former church into a residential and cultural hub. Mixed-use concepts and repurposing commercial spaces are key to reducing vacancies and revitalizing city centers, offering greater appeal and vitality to buildings.
The PwC study (2024) examined the cities of Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Frankfurt, revealing significant regional disparities in the financial viability of converting former department stores into diverse uses. As cities adapt to changing retail landscapes and housing demands, mixed-use concepts and repurposing present promising avenues for urban revitalization and sustainability.
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