Article published in ArcInfo, May 27, 2026
Serge Guertchakoff, journalist, editor-in-chief at immobilier.ch
Located in Biel between Faubourg du Lac and Rue Centrale, this building constructed in 1979 was acquired at the end of January 2018 to be integrated into the Dominicé Swiss Property Fund.
The plot comprises four distinct buildings (Rue Centrale 2 and 4, Faubourg du Lac 64 and 66), with a large shared underground car park. Immediately adjacent to the train station, the complex offers direct access to shops, services, and public transport, as well as easy connections to Bern, Neuchâtel, Lausanne, and Zurich.
It was following the departure of the EMS Résidence du Rüschli to Rue Alexandre-Schöni that Dominicé Swiss Property Fund decided to return the spaces previously occupied by the care home to the residential rental market, fully renovating them to bring them up to date. The care home had until then occupied the ground floor as well as 15 of the 17 apartments in the relevant entrance.
The building will now offer 17 generously sized apartments: 10 four-and-a-half-room apartments between 101 and 105 m², 5 three-and-a-half-room apartments of approximately 82 m², and two penthouse apartments on the 6th floor, one of which reaches 132 m².
These units had been converted into medical care rooms, which explains the scale of the renovation works.
Construction begins
Started in December 2025, the project aims to restore these apartments to their full potential. The generously sized apartments will feature modern open-plan kitchens connected to the living areas, and fully renovated bathrooms. Their balconies overlook a quiet inner courtyard — a rare asset in the city centre. “All the kitchens and bathrooms will be renovated to modernise the apartments, which were still fitted with their original installations,” explains Mathias Florimont, Real Estate Project Manager at Dominicé.
The ground floor, which served as a common area for the care home, will be remediated and then re-let as commercial space. The works will also bring the premises into compliance with current fire safety standards. Finally, the lift will be replaced. Completion of the works and re-letting of the renovated spaces are scheduled for this autumn.
Read also: Behind the Bergières transformation project : 10 key questions with François Lemercier | Dominicé
It should be noted that works in the three other building entrances are not being carried out in a single phase; apartment renovations are being carried out progressively in line with tenant turnover.
Three questions for Diego Reyes, Head of Fund Strategy
Diego Reyes, Senior Fund Manager
How does this project illustrate your approach to value creation?
Converting spaces previously used by a care home into residential units at this scale could have been seen as a constraint. We approached it as a repositioning opportunity. When the care home terminated its lease, we immediately seized the opportunity to bring modern, spacious apartments — well suited to local demand — back onto the market. This represents tangible and lasting value creation for our unit holders.
How do you see rental prices evolving in Biel/Bienne and the surrounding region?
The rental market in Biel/Bienne remains relatively balanced, but recent statistics show a gradual decline in the vacancy rate in the city over recent years. New housing construction remains relatively moderate, which helps to stabilise the market. In this context, the attractiveness of a property depends heavily on its location and the quality of the offering. Well-located apartments, close to public transport and services, continue to find tenants.
Read also: Acquisitions: Dominicé’s strategy for durably strengthening portfolio quality | Dominicé
What strategy does your fund follow, and are you looking for opportunities in the region?
Our strategy is to invest in well-located buildings in urban centres that offer repositioning or value creation potential. The Biel project is a perfect illustration of this approach. We remain attentive to opportunities across various regions of Switzerland, including Biel/Bienne — a city with a solid economic fabric and a high quality of life. Our approach remains selective: we focus on assets where long-term value creation is clearly identified.
