17% of French Warehouses Are Obsolete: 3 Strategies to Address This Issue

A study on the changes in the French logistics sector

On March 31, 2026, real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield published a study titled « Lifecycle of the Logistics Warehouse: Managing Value Over Time. » This analysis explores the structural changes in the French logistics sector against a backdrop of rapid transformation.
The logistics warehouse is portrayed as a strategic asset, serving both as an industrial tool for users and a long-term real estate asset for investors.
Current demand favors modern, standardized, and sustainable warehouses: spaces ranging from 15,000 to 40,000 square meters, with a minimum ceiling height of 12 meters, environmental certifications, LED lighting, photovoltaic panels, and highway access. At least 17% of the French logistics facilities were built before 2000, and nearly half of the spaces were constructed between 2000 and 2019.

Five Types of Obsolescence and Three Value Drivers

The study breaks down obsolescence into five distinct forms: structural (insufficient ceiling height, unsuitable framework), technical (inability to integrate automation solutions), regulatory (non-compliance with ICPE, fire safety, RE2020), geographical (degraded accessibility, lack of multimodal access), and economic. Obsolescence directly affects stakeholders through operational cost increases and regulatory risks for users, as well as liquidity erosion and ESG exposure for investors.
Three complementary strategies are highlighted: anticipating through adaptive and certified design, sustaining through continuous maintenance and upgrading to ensure a lifespan of 50 to 80 years, and transforming at the end of the cycle via renovation, demolition/reconstruction, or repurposing. The study draws on three operational case studies: BARJANE (anticipation strategy), PANATTONI (redevelopment of the Ormes site), and LOGICOR (RISE project at Garonor park in Aulnay-sous-Bois).