An ambitious project in Belgium and it was about time
Recently, I had the chance to go behind the scenes of a Cora gallery in full transformation. The Cora-Galimmo project is officially entering a new phase. With the acquisition of the seven Cora hypermarkets and their shopping galleries, Mitiska REIM has become the owner of the sites and launched one of the most ambitious transformation projects Belgian retail has seen in recent years. Objective: turn these historic locations into modern, sustainable, and clearly “proximity”-oriented shopping destinations.
The seven sites – Anderlecht, Woluwe, Rocourt, Hornu, La Louvière, Châtelineau, and Messancy – will undergo a full restructuring: splitting up the former hypermarkets, bringing in new retailers, upgrading the galleries, and gradually renovating the exterior spaces. The project is massive, with 160,000 m² being redeveloped on a deliberately tight schedule to minimize disruption for current tenants and maintain footfall.
Continuity, modernization, and renewed retail mix
Throughout the first phase, Cora remains open, even during the holiday period. Non-food departments will organize clearances, while the galleries continue to operate normally, with commercial actions to support visitor numbers.
The major transformations began on October 1, 2025. And the project is already well underway: the gallery owner reports a very high pre-leasing rate, with 80% of the spaces secured through contracts or letters of intent. DreamLand – confirmed on all seven sites – will be joined by other major retailers: Delhaize, Kiabi, JYSK, and several others whose announcements will follow in the coming weeks.
The first modules will open at the end of January 2026, including a 2,500 m² Delhaize. Mitiska is focusing on more sustainable architecture: wood, grey tiles, four-meter-high ceilings, modernized infrastructure (sprinklers, heating/cooling), and logistics optimization to accelerate tenant fit-outs.
A project rooted in the local economy
Mitiska REIM emphasizes the importance of collaboration with municipalities and regional authorities, particularly on urban planning, accessibility, and mobility. Exterior works – façades, parking, new pedestrian entrances (such as the one planned on Marcel Thiry in Woluwe) – will take place in phase three, targeting 2027.
Regarding employment, a dedicated unit (Cora/FOREM) supports former staff. New tenants are contractually obliged to meet them: around 200 people could find positions in the new retailers. Ultimately, all sites together could generate around 1,400 jobs.
An ambitious strategic repositioning
Mitiska REIM’s dual challenge is to create competitive proximity shopping centers versus traditional malls and provide complementarity with other existing players in the area. With numerous residential projects around these sites, the company aims to make these future destinations hubs of life and services, suited to the daily needs of consumers.
After transformation and stabilization, the fund plans to sell the assets, in line with its investment model.
Key figures
- 7 sites: Anderlecht, Woluwe, Rocourt, Hornu, La Louvière, Châtelineau, Messancy
- 160,000 m² redeveloped within the transformation (of a total 228,000 m² gross area)
- 95,500 m² of hypermarket commercial space to be redeveloped
- 80% pre-leasing secured
- October 1, 2025: start of initial works
- End of January 2026: opening of first new spaces (Delhaize, Kiabi…)
- End of August 2026: second opening wave after closure of remaining Cora
- 2027: renovation of façades, parking, and exterior access
- 1,400 estimated jobs after transformation (around 200 per site)
- DreamLand present on all 7 sites
- Delhaize: 2,500 m² of new food retail space
My 20/CENT
We can only be pleased. Clearly, the Cora galleries should have seen this type of renovation long ago. But let’s not rewrite history.
The key takeaway is that Belgium finally has a strong retail project with interesting developments. Moreover, as I announced in my post on Cactus Esch Lallange, this confirms that the future of the hypermarket is not dead. It just requires a more compact, friendlier, and above all functional model, where everyone finds their place: both destination shoppers and local residents who don’t need a giant hypermarket. These customers need a proximity store, but also services and useful facilities (car wash points, parking, coffee points, etc.).
And the big winners? The retailers moving in, of course, who will score a strong advantage. Delhaize gains 7 additional outlets in strategic locations, same for DreamLand, JYSK, Kiabi, etc. And local communities benefit as well, regaining dynamism in areas that, let’s be honest, had become either deserted or depressing.
In short, I, like you, am eager to see the developments unfold. I will closely follow the project and the remodelings.
Pos ConceptCoraRetailMitiska ReimTransformation