Placemaking Project by Lars Jähnichen, Managing Director of IPH Group
NAME OF PROJECT: Das Gerber DEVELOPER: IPH Group OWNER: Württembergische Lebensversicherung AG
PROJECT HIGHLIGHT: A partially vacant retail property has been transformed into a versatile mixeduse quarter and a frequency booster for Stuttgart’s city center. At the heart of the concept developed by Württembergische Lebensversicherung and largely implemented by IPH is a smaller, curated and highly relevant retail area – complemented by a hotel, coworking spaces, restaurants, residential and healthcare facilities.
In autumn 2014, “Das Gerber” opened – in the middle of Stuttgart’s city center, elaborately planned and architecturally sophisticated. However, the timing was unfavorable: another shopping center, the “Milaneo”, opened at the same time, resulting in a local oversupply of retail space. Footfall in the “Gerber” fell short of expectations, with the second floor in particular becoming a problem child despite the presence of innovative concepts such as pop-up stores.
It quickly became clear that a strategic repositioning was necessary. The owner, Württembergische Lebensversicherung AG, developed a concept to transform the “Gerber” into an urban mixed-use center with a total of eleven uses. A detailed site analysis and feasibility studies led to the decision to convert the upper floors into a Ruby brand hotel and a coworking space. Gastronomy space was also added, while high-turnover retailers were relocated to the f irst floor. Overall, the retail space was deliberately reduced from around 24,000 to 16,500 sq m – and optimized in a targeted manner.
In 2019, the IPH Group took over the management of the center, and the team led by Marcus Eggers and Lars Jähnichen started to implement the diverse mixed-use concept in several phases. The implementation from 2021 was open-heart surgery: a conversion during ongoing operations, accompanied by intensive discussions with tenants, planners and the city. A center manager from IPH even lived in the building during the construction phase in order to be available to the tenants at all times, to check the progress of construction on site and, where necessary, to mediate between the stakeholders. The owner’s long-term willingness to invest was essential for the project.
Operations have now started under the new concept and the “Gerber” stands for urban diversity: retail, hotel, coworking, residential, doctors, daycare, leisure and gastronomy intertwine – with retail as the anchor that generates footfall. The mixed use creates a robust, diversified cash flow. The “Gerber” shows how strategic courage and partnership-based implementation can turn a problematic property into an urban location with charisma. The ongoing management and improvement of the portfolio will also ensure that economic and social synergies are strengthened in Stuttgart’s new mixed-use quarter in the future. The partnership between Württembergische Lebensversicherung AG and the IPH Group will therefore provide further important impetus.
Find more top placemaking projects here.
