October 14, 2025
Written by: Sofía Díaz Miranda, Asociada at O´Donnell
In 2022, O’Donnell acquired the former corporate campus of Novartis, located at Calzada de Tlalpan 1779. For years, this space served as the headquarters of one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies—a landmark in the southern part of Mexico City that had remained idle until O’Donnell recognized its potential as a site rich in history, with a privileged location and excellent connectivity. The goal was not merely to repurpose a property, but to give it a new purpose and extend the useful life of an infrastructure that still held significant value.
The result was a mixed-use concept that combines industrial and commercial areas, adapting to the new urban dynamics of Mexico City: productive spaces, strategically located, and surrounded by essential services.
Beyond its functional value, OD Tlalpan preserves an important part of Mexico’s architectural and artistic heritage. The complex includes elements protected by INBAL, among them the parabolic domes of Building 6—designed by architect Félix Candela—and a three-sided mural by José Chávez Morado dedicated to pre-Hispanic medicine. One of the mural’s faces can now be seen from inside the new Tim Hortons, which recently opened within the development, creating a unique dialogue between 20th-century art and contemporary urban life.
The surroundings of OD Tlalpan reinforce its strategic character. Within an eight-kilometer radius, more than 1.2 million people live in mixed-use, active neighborhoods such as Campestre Churubusco, Portales Norte, Espartaco, and Coyoacán. Its proximity to Ciudad Universitaria, Calzada de Miramontes, and the General Anaya Metro station generates a constant flow of residents, students, and workers who move through the area every day. This urban dynamism supports both the industrial operations and the commercial activity of the park.
The industrial section is home to companies such as Amazon, Byrne, and Kuehne + Nagel, while the commercial area features a mix of brands that enhance the everyday experience: Oxxo, Forever Living, Wingstop, Domino’s, Smart Fit, Panfilo, and the recently inaugurated Tim Hortons.
Where there once stood a single corporate headquarters, there is now a space that blends productivity, history, and community. OD Tlalpan stands as an example of how O’Donnell breathes new life into iconic locations—preserving their value while adapting them to the present.
