MAQRO CITY TBILISI: A Mixed-Use Development Reshaping Samgori’s Role in Tbilisi’s Urban Growth

by Georgian Today

Author: Kesaria Katcharava

In the past decade, Tbilisi’s real estate market has seen rapid expansion, primarily in the central districts and northern suburbs. How ever, the eastern Samgori district, despite its geographic proximity to the city center, has long remained underdeveloped in terms of modern residential and commercial infrastructure. That pattern is beginning to shift. At the heart of this change is MAQRO CITY TBILISI, a large-scale, mixed-use development led by MAQRO Development. Unlike many residential-only pro jects across the city, MAQRO CITY TBILISI integrates housing, retail, business facilities, and hospitality, including the internationally recognized Möven pick Living brand. The project is not positioned as a luxury compound, but rather as a comprehensive urban environment designed to be both affordable and multifunctional.

SAMGORI - FROM PERIPHERAL DISTRICT TO DEVELOPMENT ZONE

For years, Samgori has lacked the kind of investment seen in areas like Vake, Saburtalo, or Didi Dighomi. But its location directly connected to key transportation arteries and metro lines makes it one of the few remaining urban zones with potential for high-density, mixed use development. MAQRO CITY TBILISI’s entry into Samgori signals a tangible shift in the district’s trajectory. By combining residential units with commercial zones, offices, and hotel infrastructure, the project is not only attracting new residents, but also drawing attention from businesses and service providers. This shift may accelerate Samgori’s transition from a primarily residential and industrial neighborhood to a more dynamic urban district.

RESIDENTIAL OFFERING - FULLY RENOVATED HOMES AT BUDGET-SENSITIVE PRICES

One of the most distinctive features of MAQRO CITY TBILISI is its approach to housing. Unlike most new residential projects in Tbilisi, where units are sold in a semi-finished state ("green frame" or "white frame"), MAQRO CITY TBI LISI delivers fully renovated apartments a significant financial and practical advantage for homebuyers. This model removes the renovation burden from the buyer and reduces post purchase costs significantly, making the apartments more accessible for first-time homeowners and middle-income families. Moreover, payment plans are designed to be as flexible as possible, reflecting the company’s intent to reach a broader market segment, not just premium buyers. Despite these benefits, the pricing remains competitive within the mid market segment, especially considering the added value of integrated infrastructure and renovation.

NOT JUST RESIDENTIAL - A PROJECT WITH BROADER URBAN FUNCTIONS

While MAQRO CITY TBILISI offers housing, its structure reflects a deliberate attempt to build a more complete and functional urban space. Commercial spaces are integrated at the ground level, and the business centers within the com plex are designed to serve not only small and medium-sized enterprises, but also large companies and corporations, as they offer a substantial number of mod ern, fully equipped office spaces that cater to a wide range of business needs. This multi-functionality is not just a design choice, it addresses a real gap in Tbilisi’s urban planning, where many residential neighborhoods lack basic services within walking distance. This approach has the potential to reduce resident dependence on com muting and support local economic activity. It also increases foot traffic in prestige and economic function that few other developments in the area currently provide. MAQRO CITY TBILISI is contributing to the evolution of Samgori from a peripheral district into a mixed-use urban zone the area, making the commercial com ponents more viable and contributing to the economic activation of the Sam gori district.

MÖVENPICK LIVING - A STRATEGIC ADDITION TO THE PROJECT

A core component of the development is Mövenpick Living, a branded hotel and serviced apartment concept from the internationally recognized Mövenpick brand. While the hospitality market in central Tbilisi has grown steadily, few international hotel brands have ventured into the eastern districts. Mövenpick’s presence in Samgori does several things: • Introduces international hotel standards to an underserved district • Attracts both business and tourist visitors, increasing economic activity beyond the city center • Creates local employment opportunities in hospitality and service sectors • Adds long-term investment value to the district through brand recognition and tourism infrastructure By bringing a high-profile hotel brand to Samgori, the project adds a degree of INFRASTRUCTURE, ACCESSIBILITY, AND LONG-TERM VALUE From an urban planning perspective, large projects like MAQRO CITY TBI LISI can have an outsized impact on infrastructure. As the development grows, it is likely to encourage public and pri vate investment in roads, utilities, and transport connectivity in the surrounding area, much like similar large-scale projects have done in other districts of Tbilisi. This also has implications for real estate values. While central districts remain expensive and largely saturated, Samgori offers a rare combination of price accessibility and development potential. As infrastructure improves and services expand, the long-term investment out look becomes more favorable not just for buyers in MAQRO CITY TBILISI, but for the district more broadly.

“A PLACE WHICH UNITES”

The project is branded around the idea of being a “Place that unites.” Unlike many slogans in real estate marketing, this one reflects a structural reality: MAQRO CITY TBILISI brings together residential life, commerce, employment, and tourism in a single, accessible location. This concept has practical urban value. Instead of contributing to the fragmented, single-use zoning that characterizes much of Tbilisi, the development pro motes a more integrated lifestyle. Residents live near workplaces, essential services, and green spaces, and the presence of a hotel introduces a level of international visibility rarely associated with the district.

SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO TBILISI’S URBAN LANDSCAPE

MAQRO CITY TBILISI is not a flagship luxury tower, nor is it an experimental urban utopia. Its significance lies in its scale, its functional integration, and its affordability, elements that are increasingly rare in Tbilisi’s fast-growing real estate market. By delivering fully renovated homes, providing business and retail infrastructure, and incorporating an international hotel brand, MAQRO CITY TBILISI is contributing to the evolution of Samgori from a peripheral district into a mixed use urban zone. Whether it becomes a model for similar developments elsewhere in the city remains to be seen. But as of now, it is one of the few large-scale projects in Tbilisi combining urban scale with eco nomic accessibility, and that alone makes it worth watching, both by residents and by the broader development community. Unlike many residential-only projects across the city, MAQRO CITY TBILISI integrates housing, retail, business facilities, and hospitality, including the internationally recognized Mövenpick Living brand.