Vonovia converted a vacant former office building on Zindelstraße in Essen’s Südviertel into 16 rental apartments. The company’s report on the project was published on 3 February 2026; it describes the conversion as a way to add homes without developing additional land.1
The apartments have one to three rooms and range from about 34 to more than 120 square metres. All are designed to be barrier-reduced and have either a balcony or terrace, with some outdoor spaces facing the courtyard. The redesigned homes include a kitchen, hallway and bathroom, and some also have a guest toilet. The building has an elevator and underground parking.1
Vonovia invested approximately €2.9 million in the conversion. Regional manager Ralf Feuersenger said reusing the existing building avoids resource use and additional land sealing. The location is near Essen’s Stadtgarten, Philharmonie and main railway station.1
Vonovia landlord Julia Mügge said some apartments had already been reserved when the company announced the project, while others remained available. The source identifies Vonovia as the company that carried out and funded the conversion; it does not give a project-specific founding date.1