Second the Alicante mall’s evolution into a full business complex follows the success of the Panoramis experience. Carrefour Real Estate opted to transform Puerta de Alicante into a modern “business city” concept, separating spaces for offices, services, and a dedicated events and conventions area, with support from the Alicante City Council to make the project possible.
The transformation is led by Custom Suits, headed by Javier Reina, who previously oversaw the Panoramis project.
When fully operational, the facility is expected to house around 1,800 workers, bringing life to the entire area. Work is scheduled to begin at the end of the coming year, with delivery planned for the first quarter of the following year and full occupancy of the office space anticipated soon after.
The Puerta de Alicante facade is a notable feature of the project. The complex covers approximately 22,000 square meters of Gross Leasable Area, with 10,900 square meters dedicated to retail, 7,500 square meters allocated to flexible offices and coworking, and 3,500 square meters reserved for dining and restoration. The renewal includes new services such as children’s playrooms and a gym while preserving cinemas and a Carrefour hypermarket, plus a large car park owned by the complex.
After evaluating more than 70 properties on the market, the team chose Alicante to launch the first national work-city project, citing the city’s growing appeal to foreign companies seeking new office locations and a stronger local economy. Gabriel Tomé, CEO of Custom Suits, emphasized the strategic move underpinning this initiative.
New Panoramis: 12 million to transform into an international business and service center
Puerta de Alicante Work City will host offices and coworking spaces within a dynamic complex that replicates a city center with markets, restaurants, game rooms, gyms, cinemas, shops, and offices. The design plans for an urban layout featuring furniture, trees, vegetation, outdoor spaces, streets, and squares that authentically reflect Alicante’s essence. The interior landscape will echo iconic streets such as Paseo de la Explanada, Portal de Elche, Rambla Méndez Núñez, and Maisonnave, capturing the feel of El Sabio and other historic avenues.
The project aims to restart activity in a site that saw reduced offerings in recent years. Carrefour Property Spain has signaled a renewed commitment to transform the space, a trend driven by the rise of e-commerce and demand for flexible office solutions in Alicante. Lola Banón, Carrefour Property Spain’s general manager, described the project as a paradigm shift for Spain’s shopping-center industry, launching a large-scale initiative under the new Work City concept that blends new uses and services while enhancing retailers’ value for shoppers and society.
Social reactivation
The mayor of Alicante welcomed the project, highlighting benefits for the environment and local neighborhoods. He highlighted positive impacts for Benalúa, La Florida, San Gabriel, Babel, and surrounding areas, where tens of thousands of residents stand to gain from revitalized jobs, commerce, and housing opportunities. The collaboration between the two promotional entities and the Alicante Investment Attraction Office (Alia) supports this pioneering Spain-wide effort aligned with the Alicante Futura municipal strategy to attract technology-driven companies and networks. The work-city concept is expected to contribute to balanced growth across the city’s districts.
In addition to the new work-city zones, other digital and port developments in Alicante continue to evolve, with private initiatives advancing transformation across multiple neighborhoods. Carrefour Real Estate, the French group’s property arm, manages a portfolio of many centers and sizable leaseable space, while Custom Suits focuses on transforming offices into flexible, value-added spaces. The firm’s footprint includes significant leased areas in Spain, with a focus on secondary cities where intelligent workspace models are gaining traction. Custom Suits specializes in reimagining office configurations to support hybrid work and enhanced on-site services, contributing to the wider economic and social rebound of the region.