Hollerich: former Paul Wurth site set for a change of use

A preliminary sale agreement moves forward the redevelopment of a former industrial site near the station. The 34,600 m² development remains separate from the larger Nei Hollerich project.

At the corner of Rue de Hollerich and Rue Wenceslas-Ier, a former Paul Wurth industrial site is set to host a development combining homes, offices and shops. The preliminary sale agreement signed by Baltisse Real Estate and BPI Real Estate Luxembourg moves the project forward. It is next to the future Nei Hollerich district, but the agreement does not set a completion date or specify the number of homes.

The distinction matters in an area where several urban projects are taking place side by side. The 34,600 m² development relates to the site acquired by the consortium; it does not refer to the area of the Nei Hollerich district or to the floor area of homes alone.

An industrial site set for a change of use

The project is planned for land cleared by the demolition of the former Paul Wurth factory halls. Located between the central station and the Hollerich area, the site is close to the Cité de la Sécurité sociale. The project plans to combine residential, commercial and office space there. The announced areas amount to around 34,600 m² of above-ground floor space, according to information published when the transaction was announced.

The legal process has already passed several milestones. The detailed development plan, or PAP, which sets out the organisation and building rules for an area, was approved in 2023. The implementation agreement was approved in 2025, according to the media outlet Chronicle.lu. On 10 November 2026, the consortium and Paul Wurth Real Estate announced that they had signed a preliminary sale agreement, that is, an agreement preceding the final sale. The financial terms have not been made public.

These steps allow development planning to proceed, but they do not mean that the buildings are complete or already accessible. Preparatory and infrastructure works are due to begin in the coming months. No final completion date has been announced.

A neighbouring project, not the entire district

Nei Hollerich is the name of a larger urban development, led by the Nei Hollerich economic interest grouping together with the Compensation Fund. The City of Luxembourg associates it with a target of 4,500 residents and 5,000 jobs, as well as homes, shops, offices, restaurants, services and active ground floors. The future Heintz van Landewyck public park is also part of this wider district.

The site acquired by Baltisse and BPI is nearby and is intended to help connect the station to this new area. But the district’s figures do not describe the Paul Wurth site development: the population and jobs targets apply to Nei Hollerich as a whole, while the 34,600 m² relates to the complex announced by the consortium. Confusing the two would make the acquired project seem larger and more precisely defined than it is.

The City says demolition work has begun within the Nei Hollerich area and that final planning is at a decisive stage ahead of construction works. The transformation therefore involves several developers and timetables, rather than a single construction site progressing as one.

Mobility also depends on surrounding projects

The stated aim for the site is to create an urban link between the central station, the Cité de la Sécurité sociale and Nei Hollerich. This continuity will depend as much on the layout of public spaces and access routes as on the buildings themselves. The project is part of an area where private developments sit alongside infrastructure and public spaces planned by different stakeholders.

In December 2024, a framework agreement was signed by the Minister for Mobility and Public Works, the Mayor of Luxembourg City and representatives of the Nei Hollerich economic interest grouping, the Compensation Fund, Luxtram and the Administration des ponts et chaussées. It aims to coordinate the interfaces between public and private stakeholders and prepare for the next stages.

For people who live, work or travel in the area, the practical question will therefore be whether the buildings, streets and transport links are delivered together. The signing of the preliminary sale agreement is a property milestone; it is not enough to establish when the new homes or shops will open, or which connections will already be operational by then.

A transformation in stages

The development of the Paul Wurth site adds to the wider transformation of Gare and Hollerich, where former industrial areas are becoming mixed-use districts. The proximity of the station provides an important transport hub, while the announced range of uses could sustain activity beyond office hours alone. However, their actual presence will depend on the construction phases and when the premises are brought into use.

At this stage, the established facts are the preliminary sale agreement, the approvals mentioned for the PAP and the implementation agreement, and the mixed-use purpose of the development. The next development to watch will be the start of work on this site and how it is coordinated with construction sites in the neighbouring district. The transformation is taking shape, but its pace and final form are still to come.