Frankfurt’s Skyline Darkens as Old Office Buildings Sit Vacant
- As renovations costs climb, aging buildings are left behind
- Tenants are seeking smaller, environmentally friendly spaces
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In one of Frankfurt’s most central neighborhoods, a stone’s throw from the city’s main train station, a 19-story highrise once occupied by DZ Bank’s Union Investment unit has been vacant for more than four years.
The Brutalist tower, which opened its doors in 1977, is one of the more striking victims of a dynamic that has accelerated in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic. With high-profile tenants increasingly opting for newly built spaces — and renovation costs climbing — Frankfurt’s older buildings are being left behind.