Cologne-based PROXIMUS Real Estate AG has received planning permission for the complete conversion of office space in the Hinter Hoben property in Bonn's Dottendorf district. The conversion will create 21 new residential units designed to relieve pressure on the local housing market. Construction work is scheduled to begin in the near future.
Redensification within the existing building fabric
The project envisages creating the new living space entirely within the existing structure. This allows residential space to be delivered in a resource-efficient manner without additional sealing of unbuilt land. The 21 new flats will expand the existing residential ensemble on the site, which currently comprises 90 units.
The estate includes its own parkland, which will provide recreational space for future residents. In addition, the site features a dedicated underground car park with more than 100 parking spaces, ensuring functional infrastructure access directly on the property.
PROXIMUS acquired the property in 2025 as part of its specific residential investment strategy for the Cologne, Bonn and Düsseldorf metropolitan region. At the time of purchase, converting the office space into residential use was already identified as a central development objective, which can now be implemented following the grant of planning consent.
Focus on secondary and tertiary office locations in the Rhineland
The project in Bonn-Dottendorf reflects the company's track record of more than twenty years in brownfield development and building within existing structures. Malte Boness, member of the management board of PROXIMUS Real Estate AG, explained that the scheme at Hinter Hoben corresponds precisely to the initial acquisition concept of aligning the site with local demand. Boness pointed to substantial vacancy rates in secondary and tertiary office locations across the Rhineland, where many premises are unlikely to secure long-term commercial tenants. Where such properties are suitable, the company prefers redeveloping existing buildings over new-build projects.
The acquisition and repositioning of residential real estate represent a major pillar of PROXIMUS's activities across the region. Alongside the ongoing management of existing housing stock, the company is driving the creation of new residential capacity through conversions, roof-level extensions and targeted redensification.
- —Location: Bonn-Dottendorf, Hinter Hoben property
- —Scope: 21 new residential units complementing 90 existing flats
- —Infrastructure: Private parkland and underground car park with over 100 parking spaces
- —Development approach: Conversion of existing building fabric without additional soil sealing
