On 31 July 2025, the closure of the Gent Zuid shopping centre will mark the end of an important chapter in the commercial life of Ghent.
At the same time, this date symbolises the beginning of a new era that AG Real Estate and ATAVUS are jointly supporting: that of an ambitious redevelopment resolutely focused on the future.
A new page is being turned, with a strong desire to make the neighbourhood vibrant and relevant again for the city of tomorrow.
30 years of memories... and the urge for renewal
For almost three decades, the Gent Zuid shopping centre has been a place to walk through, meet people, shop, and a spontaneous meeting place for the youth. An atrium with a unique character that has left its mark on people's lives.
But habits are changing: urban commerce is evolving, mobility is changing. Faced with these changes, the owners of the site have decided to look to the future and rethink the role of this much-discussed building.
A mixed-use project for a vibrant, diverse and connected neighbourhood
In close collaboration with the City of Ghent, AG Real Estate and ATAVUS are preparing the complete transformation of the iconic URBIS complex. Their shared ambition is to breathe new life into this strategic site by developing a versatile, inspiring urban project that is deeply rooted in the uses of tomorrow.
The future redevelopment will be a place of encounters and connections, harmoniously combining a contemporary hotel, modern offices, ground-floor shops and an existing underground car park. The aforementioned hotel will be developed by Atavus alone and is separate from the joint redevelopment of the site by Atavus and AG Real Estate.
This large-scale project, conceived as a neighbourhood in its own right, is part of a vision shared with the city, with one important goal: to ensure a harmonious transition and strong anchoring in the urban fabric. Together, we are working to reinvent a place that is more vibrant and welcoming, and sustainably tailored to the needs of future generations.
Filip Deprez, Head of Development at AG Real Estate, confirms: ‘Discussions on the redevelopment of the site are ongoing and we are working to finalise them with the City as soon as possible so that the closure of the shopping centre can make way for a new project as quickly as possible.’
Janick Maertens, CEO at Atavus, adds: ‘Together with the City and relevant partners, we are building a strongly anchored project that does more than just fill space. We are breathing new life into a place that fits in with its surroundings and the broader dynamics of the city.’
Thank you for all the wonderful years – see you in a reinvented Gent Zuid!
The Gent Zuid shopping centre will close its doors to the public for good on 31 July 2025.
The HEMA store will remain open and accessible via its separate entrance until mid-August 2025.
AG Real Estate and ATAVUS would like to thank the many visitors, local residents and traders who have brought Ghent South to life over the years.
We are proud to be working with them, and for them, to write a new chapter that does justice to the potential of this iconic neighbourhood.
See you in a few years, in a completely new light.
