New life for the Lamarr department store: a residential and hotel complex is being built!

New life for the Lamarr department store: a residential and hotel complex is being built!

There's a lot going on in terms of residential construction in Vienna's Neubau district. The former Lamarr department store, a project that long struggled with the Signa Group's bankruptcy, is now facing a new beginning. Stumpf Development GmbH took over the property at the end of June 2025 and is planning a comprehensive redesign. After the original plans failed, they now want to start with a new concept that should also address the needs of the city. Loud Cosmo The new design includes 200 apartments as well as retail space and a hotel.

The situation surrounding the department store is not easy: the building is currently unused on Mariahilfer Strasse and construction work has come to a standstill due to bankruptcy. How Austria reported that dismantling began in the summer. Four floors were removed to make space for the new residential units and commercial space - but the first floor remains, as the new owner emphasizes.

New usage concept

The usage concept provides for generous sales areas of around 12,000 square meters in the basement, ground floor and first floor. In addition, the new apartments will be built on an area of ​​15,500 square meters, supplemented by open spaces that will benefit future residents. A hotel area at the rear of the building is also planned, with a total of 220 rooms. But that's not all: a publicly accessible roof terrace without restaurants is part of the plan to make the building attractive to the general public.

The entire renovation was a challenge. Approval from the authorities is required for the desired building height, which is close to the maximum permissible limits. The application to change the building concept was submitted to the building police at the end of September 2025. If everything goes according to plan, the reconstruction of the front part of the building in the shell could begin as early as 2026, with expansion planned to begin in the fall. As soon as the dismantling is completed, work will also begin on the basement floors to prepare the future sales areas.

A look into the future

Completion of the entire project is scheduled for the turn of the year 2027/2028. If all goes well, the Lamarr department store could be transformed from a ruinous past into a vibrant future of residential and commercial space. With this project, Stumpf Development has not only taken on a great responsibility, but could also make an important contribution to urban development in Vienna. In particular, the redesign of the surrounding area, which will include a meeting zone in Karl-Schweighofer-Gasse, will enrich the cityscape.

How the project develops remains exciting. One thing is certain: Vienna is eagerly awaiting the next stage of this large-scale transformation.