Second Life for Bari's Historic Rinascente Building - Redevco

PRESS RELEASE
Milan, 29 October 2008
Second Life for Bari’s Historic Rinascente Building
The opening of a new retail outlet for Oviesse, one of Italy’s leading fashion chain stores,
in the former Rinascente building on Via Sparano highlights the new lease of life given to a
historic building that was home to Rinascente for over 80 years.
This new store flanks a branch of H&M which opened recently. The block, built in 1925 to a
design by the architect Federico Rampazzini, represents a landmark example of Art Nouveau
architecture. The Rinascente department store, whose name (”Rebirth”) was conceived by the
Italian poet Gabriele D’Annunzio, was launched in Milan in 1918 and heralded the age of the
department store. Later, Rinascente branched out into other major Italian cities, including Bari
(1925), where Rinascente was a prominent retailer for 80 years. It closed there in 2005 and the
building was bought by REDEVCO, one of Europe’s leading retail real estate companies.
The building has since been completely refurbished, with its historic and artistic ties being cleverly
reflected in the new design: the shop windows for instance were inspired by the original windows
of 1925. The block is now equipped with state-of-the-art technical facilities which provide the level
of functionality demanded by today’s high-end retailers, consistent with meeting current health
and safety requirements. The refurbishment project was entrusted by REDEVCO to Arcangelo
Santamato, a noted engineering design studio in Bari.
REDEVCO Italia, dopo una fase preliminare di analisi del mercato, ha avviato la sua attività anche nel
nostro paese attraverso l’acquisizione di importanti immobili di pregio, tra i quali il palazzo Rinascente nel
centro di Bari, acquisito nel 2007 con un investimento di circa 50 milioni di Euro, e altri importanti edifici
commerciali ad Alessandria, Brescia, Corsico per una superficie complessiva di oltre 30.000 mq. Tra gli
affittuari degli spazi commerciali si annoverano marchi di prestigiose catene quali: H&M, Media World,
Mondo Convenienza, Oviesse, Virgin Active etc.
About REDEVCO:
REDEVCO, a Cofra Holding company, owns one of the largest commercial real estate portfolios in
Europe. It is currently active in 21 European countries and in Asia, with a portfolio made up of retail
properties in top locations in almost every major European city along with office buildings and
logistics centres. The value of the total portfolio, comprising over 800 properties, stands at
approximately € 7.7 billion.
Contact details:
Ufficio Stampa REDEVCO Italy
M. Sara Leone/ Marco Gavazzi
M & C M Marketing & Communication Management
Partner in Eurocom Worldwide – Global PR Network
20159 Milano
Tel. 02.688.21.61
e-mail:
REDEVCO Italy AM Srl
Claudia Scarcella

C.so Venezia 5
20121 Milano
Tel. 02.8978971
e-mail: