CDP Real Asset SGR has approved the selection of COIMA SGR as development partner for the redevelopment of the former Guido Reni Barracks in Rome, with total planned investment reaching approximately €400 million. COIMA has entered into a partnership with Eagle Hills for the same.
The Board of Directors of CDP Real Asset SGR – the asset management arm in real estate and infrastructure of CDP Group, the Italian National Promotional Institution controlled by the Ministry of Economy and Finance – approved COIMA SGR following a competitive tender launched in January 2025. The tender initially involved six bidders and was subsequently shortlisted to three.
Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi-based private real estate development and investment company founded by Mohamed Alabbar, will partner to redevelop the former barracks.
“Developing in a city like Rome carries both a tremendous responsibility and a profound privilege. It is about honouring a legacy, listening to a place, and ensuring that what we build enriches people’s lives for generations to come. Through the Guido Reni redevelopment, we aim to create a place that feels authentically Roman, rooted in culture, connected to community, and shaped with care for the future,” Alabbar said in a statement.
Eagle Hills expands European portfolio with Rome Guido Reni Barracks partnership
COIMA will participate in the venture through its COIMA ESG City Impact Fund, Italy’s largest national urban regeneration fund.
“Neighborhood scale development is part of the legacy of Coima. Starting the chapter in Rome in partnership with CDP Real Asset SGR, representing the Italian Government, is an honor that we take with a high degree of responsibility particularly given the extraordinary heritage of this city and the relevance of the Flaminio area. The scale up of the partnership with Eagle Hills will contribute to bring together world class experiences in city making in collaboration with all relevant national and city stakeholders,” Manfredi Catella, chief executive, COIMA added.
The initiative will be implemented through the contribution of the Guido Reni site into a newly created dedicated fund managed by COIMA SGR, with CDP Real Asset retaining participation via the FIV – Fondo Investimenti per la Valorizzazione (Investment Fund for Enhancement).
The new investment vehicle is backed by leading Italian and international investors. The COIMA ESG City Impact Fund brings together a range of Italian institutional investors, including Cassa Forense, ENPAM, Inarcassa, Cassa dei Commercialisti, Intesa Sanpaolo, Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione Padova e Rovigo, Fondo Pensione Monte dei Paschi di Siena, and Fideuram Vita.
The 5-hectare area comprises 23 former industrial buildings situated in the Flaminio district, home to landmarks including Zaha Hadid’s MAXXI, Renzo Piano’s Auditorium Parco della Musica, and Pier Luigi Nervi’s Palazzetto dello Sport.
The redevelopment envisions a mixed-use urban district integrating residential offerings, purpose-built student housing, hospitality, high-street retail, and community-anchored public spaces.
As part of the masterplan, a portion of the site will be allocated to the Municipality of Rome for the creation of the “Science Forest” Science Museum, an 18,000-square-metre institution managed by the Municipality and partially financed through a €43 million contribution from the project’s fund. The museum will become a scientific landmark for the city.
The venture marks an expansion of Eagle Hills’ European portfolio. The company, operating across more than 14 countries, is known for developing mixed-use lifestyle communities, hospitality assets, and integrated districts. The Rome project follows Eagle Hills’ ongoing regeneration of Venice’s Hotel Des Bains in partnership with COIMA.
Globally, Eagle Hills focuses on master-planned environments that integrate residential, hospitality, retail, tourism, and community, setting benchmarks for sustainability, quality, and lifestyle experiences.
The Guido Reni project reinforces the collaboration between COIMA and CDP Real Asset SGR, already exemplified by the 2026 Winter Olympic Village in Milan, which will become Italy’s largest affordable student residence after the Games.
