Work City Alicante Takes Shape After Summer
The first Work City in Alicante is set to start taking form after the summer. Carrefour Property and the consultancy Custom Suits have confirmed that works for the comprehensive conversion of Puerta de Alicante shopping center will begin once the summer months are over. The project plans to transform the current 40,000 square meters into a large mixed-use space, a place where leisure, coworking, and other services will coexist.
From Custom Suits they highlight that this initiative becomes the first project in Spain where both companies transform the asset by adding new uses and services, including an auditorium for major events, a play area for children, the hypermarket, a gym, and cinemas. The promoters have defined Work City as a new concept that will offer visitors the same urban center experience without the noise, crowds, or pollution commonly found in city centers. Moreover, it democratizes access to the same services a multinational company would have in its offices, while giving value to existing retailers who will offer a different experience to their customers and the surrounding community. The office portion will be carried out by Custom Suits, a company linked to Alicante-based entrepreneur Javier Reina.
Operational Plans for 2025
For the visionaries behind the project, the transformation of the complex will revitalize Alicante’s economy and the urban fabric of nearby districts. The new space aims to become a social dynamic, meeting a growing demand for flexible workspaces in the area. Puerta de Alicante will feature offices and coworking zones that are expected to host 1,800 workers daily. The project has been in motion for months, with planning and space marketing underway, and the center is slated to open in the first half of 2025.
The director general of Carrefour Property Spain, Lola Bañón, notes that this project enables a complete renewal of Puerta de Alicante with an innovative concept that responds to feedback from Alicante clients and operators, while maintaining the hypermarket’s activity and introducing new uses and services that add value to the community, energize local businesses, and simplify life for residents.
Additionally, the ample parking available at the center and its advantageous location near Alicante and Elche, as well as the airport, are expected to position Puerta de Alicante as a reference point for companies and visitors. The broad range of experiences planned for retailers, workers, and the general public is described as extensive and economically advantageous from social and community perspectives, according to Auxiliadora Martínez de Salazar, director of commercial management and business development at Carrefour Property.
The Model
Javier Reina, founder of Custom Suits and the creator of the model, states that Work City rests on two pillars: reviving distinctive spaces by giving them a second life, and designing a tailored service aimed at urban users. This service is intended to compete with teleworking and to boost productivity. The Alicante project will unfold in three phases: the first involves substantial investment to rehabilitate the asset and reimagine it as a mixed-use space, built on sustainable materials.
The second phase, already underway in terms of marketing, shows strong interest from operators seeking a location in Alicante, especially in modern spaces that meet their needs with sizes above 2,000 square meters. The final phase will begin once construction finishes in the first quarter of 2025, with management and administration of the workplace areas that will welcome more than 1,800 daily workers who can socialize and balance work with leisure, dining, and hospitality services. The Alicante GroupIdex, a local communications consultancy, has developed both the strategic framework and the branding of Puerta Alicante Work City.
Regarding the center, Puerta de Alicante spans 22,000 square meters across three levels. Of that, 10,900 square meters will be dedicated to retail, 7,500 square meters to flexible offices and coworking, and 3,500 square meters to dining and hospitality. Inside, the new space will feature a network of streets and plazas, with urban furniture, trees, vegetation, and outdoor areas recreating emblematic spots from the city of Alicante.