Equity Estate and AM join forces in Crossover South Axis Amsterdam

17-6, 2021

Equity Estate and area developer AM have become JV-partners in ‘Crossover’, a mixed-use building under construction. AM is a daughter company of the Royal BAM Group, listed at the Amsterdam Stock Exchange.

Crossover is situated at the corner of exit A10 Zuid and the Europaboulevard, near Hotel nhow Amsterdam RAI and next to Terrace Tower. It provides a new impulse to the eastern part of the South Axis, which means that the Kop Zuidas sub-area will continue to develop into a vibrant and sustainable district in the coming years. The construction started in February 2021 and delivery of Crossover is expected in spring 2023.

Crossover comprises some 12,000 sqm office space, 120 starter units for housing association De Key, 10 owner-occupied houses, some 350 sqm for a restaurant and 500 sqm for social functions. Under the building a parking garage with 80 parking spaces will be realised of which six are for ‘shared mobility’ for future tenants.

Crossover has already received a so called BREAAM-NL design certificate ‘outstanding’, a bold sustainable achievement for a mixed-use building, and a WELL Core certification. The building is, among other things, energy neutral.

Media Park Enterprise sells RTL buildings at Media Park, Hilversum

25-2, 2021

Hill Top 3 Limited, a joint venture between Equity Estate and Arzan Wealth (DIFC), has purchased the RTL office at Media Park in Hilversum from Media Park Enterprise.

The office buildings have a total lettable floor area of approximately 17,300 sqm and 161 parking spaces in the underground parking garage. Located at Barend en van Dorpweg 2 the buildings are part of the Media Park. All buildings are awarded with an energy label A and have been leased on a long-term basis to RTL Nederland.

The Media Park is the epicentre of the Dutch media industry and is one of the largest media clusters in Europe. The strong position is ascribed to its unique concentration of leading media companies, its central location in the Netherlands, and its high-quality infrastructure and facilities.

CBRE and Allen & Overy advised Media Park Enterprise in this transaction. Hill Top 3 was advised by Lexence. Equity Estate will perform the asset management.

Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 acquires strategic Kassel logistics park

9-2, 2021

Equity Estate Group has sold a strategic logistics park on the outskirts of the German town of Kassel to Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF1) for EUR 28 million. The park is situated in the Lohfelden logistics hotspot just outside Kassel, strategically located on the  A7 highway in Central Germany – the country’s longest autobahn and an important north-south route.

The property was held by Equity Estate Group for almost 15 years, forming part of the Queristics portfolio which was raised in 2005. In 2018 Equity Estate recapitalised the portfolio. In 2019 a property in the Netherlands was sold, followed by the second divestment of a logistics building in Willebroek, Belgium in 2020. With the sale of the Lohfelden property the recapitalisation of 2018 will be fully repaid.

This transaction is the fifth and largest acquisition so far for Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF1) SCSp, which held its final close in September 2020 and is focussed on urban logistics assets in edge-of-town or infill locations that facilitate swift product delivery to major cities/towns, meeting the last-mile requirements. It is targeting value-add/core-plus investments in Germany, the Nordics, Benelux and other select markets across Europe.

The 58,307 sqm plot currently comprises 16,046 sqm of warehousing and 3,852 sqm office/ commercial spaces in three buildings. Two are leased for a commercial vehicle parts centre, agricultural dealership and central warehouse. The other tenant specializes in thermoplastic extrusion. The acquisition also includes additional land with potential for a new warehouse of around  6,000 sqm plus 500 sqm office space and a 1,228 sqm mezzanine creating a total lettable area of 7,920 sqm in line with current zoning plans.

Florian Stöbe, Verdion Head of Investment – Germany said: “This asset is exactly in line with our value-add/core+ strategy: a site with great potential in one of the country’s most important logistics hotspots, combined with long term commitments from existing tenants. The intention now is to commence speculative development to meet continuing demand for high quality space from ecommerce occupiers in particular– an approach the fund is adopting across other invested locations.”

CBRE and Baker McKenzie advised Equity Estate Group in this transaction. Verdion was advised by REC Partners and GSK Stockmann.

Equity Estate divests Willebroek - Belgium

6-11, 2020

Equity Estate Group, owner of the Queristics portfolio, divested the 34,000 sqm logistics asset in Willebroek after leasing the building to Eutraco in July 2020. The asset was part of the Queristics portfolio and has been sold to GLP, a leading investor and developer of logistics warehouses and distribution parks.

The asset is situated in one of Belgium’s premier markets in the heart of the Belgium’s ‘Golden Triangle’, strategically located between the A12/E19 motorways connecting the country’s two largest metropolitan areas,
Antwerp and Brussels. It is also in close proximity to the port of Antwerp, the second largest European port, and Brussels airport, one of Europe’s largest cargo airports.

Philippe Hendriks, GLP Belgium and Netherlands, said: "Following our recent acquisition in the Port of Ghent this facility solidifies our entry into the Belgian logistics market as we continue to grow our operations in the region to meet growing customer demand. The asset in Willebroek is an excellent facility that benefits from convenient access to commercial and transport hubs in Belgium and further afield, making it an ideal addition
to our Benelux offering.”

Enrico van Erkelens, CEO of Equity Estate Group, said: “Over the past few years we have seen an increasing interest in the Belgium logistics market followed by a swiftly decreasing yield gap with the surrounding countries. After recapitalisation of the Queristics portfolio in 2018, and leasing the asset in 2020, for us this was a good moment to divest this great building.”

Willebroek, Belgium fully leased to Eutraco

17-7, 2020

Equity Estate has signed a lease agreement with Eutraco for a logistics business complex located at the Victor Dumonlaan 14-18 in Willebroek, Belgium.

Eutraco is a European logistics provider founded in 1967, with almost 200,000 m² of logistics space. Eutraco has his own fleet of 400 vehicles, sea freight expertise and an in-house technology team.

The business complex has been part of the Queristics portfolio since 2006, which consists of real estate in Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany. The business complex comprises approximately 34,000 m² of warehouse and office space. It is located next to the inland terminal of Hutchison Ports or "TCT Terminal" in Willebroek. The central location, fast accessibility and low carbon footprint make this site attractive for both local and international logistics companies.

CBRE and Baker McKenzie advised Equity Estate in this transaction.

Equity Estate divests NWO-building in The Hague to Aberdeen Standard Investments

16-1, 2020

Aberdeen Standard Investments has acquired from Equity Estate an office building that is fully let to the Dutch Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) on behalf of an institutional advisory mandate for a German pension fund.

The “Java” office building, located on the Laan van Nieuw Oost-Indië 300-334 in The Hague, has a surface of 13,635 square meters and has 176 parking spaces in the parking garage below. The complex was completed in 2000, has an energy label A and has been leased on a long-term basis to NWO..

Equity Estate acquired the building in 2017 from the Fortress Investment Group. This transaction followed shortly after the acquisition by Fortress of the LIV-portfolio, which was divested by DEKA Immobilien.

In this transaction Aberdeen Standard Investments was commercially advised by JLL, legally by Van Doorne and technically by Savills. Equity Estate was legally advised by Lexence.

Groothandelsgebouw divested by HighBrook Investors

20-12, 2019

On Thursday 19 December 2019 Jamestown has acquired the Groothandelsgebouw in Rotterdam CBD via a share deal. The real estate price amounts to EUR 289mn. HighBrook Investors and Equity Estate acquired the building in 2018 in an off market transaction, resulting in the delisting of Groothandelsgebouwen N.V.

As of acquisition in 2018 Equity Estate took over the local management team with 10 employees and managed the building until the sale to Jamestown. Following the sale, Jamestown will continue the management with the local management team to ensure a smoot transfer and benefit from the existing experience of the team. Jamestown will employ the team directly.

The Groothandelsgebouw was built in 1953, housing over 450 companies on over 122,000 sqm.

Equity Estate sourced the transaction in 2018, co-invested in the transaction alongside HighBrook Investors, managed the building and advised HighBrook during the divestment to Jamestown.

Equity Estate sells business complex in Oss to a fund managed by Tristan Capital Partners

5-11, 2019

Equity Estate has sold a business complex at the Merwedestraat 42-44A in Oss to a consortium of Tristan Capital Partners and ARC Real Estate Partners. The business complex, that has been part of the Queristics portfolio since 2006, comprises approximately 26,000 sqm of office and business space on a plot of approximately 42,000 sqm.

The complex, consisting of two buildings, has been leased on a long-term basis to Shiloh Industries, Euro Vast and Vos Logistics. The purchase price amounted to EUR 11,350,000.

HRS Bedrijfsmakelaars, Houthoff and ARC Real Estate Partners advised Tristan Capital Partners on this transaction. Equity Estate has been assisted by NL Real Estate and Lexence.

Equity Estate closed new leases in Quarter Plaza

1-11, 2019

Equity Estate has signed new lease agreements with Hanshow Netherlands BV and 24i Unit Media BV in office building Quarter Plaza at Transformatorweg 74-104 in Amsterdam Sloterdijk. Hanshow Netherlands BV has signed a new lease agreement for approximately 750 sqm of office space. 24i Unit Media BV, already leasing approximately 750 sqm of office space in the building, has extended their space with approximately 500 sqm of office space.

Quarter Plaza is part of a high-quality work, live & play concept Quarter Offices that has been rolled out within three office buildings in Sloterdijk in Amsterdam. All three buildings have been fully renovated to improve its quality and functionality and to create a 'work, meet & relax lifespace'. The service concept in Quarter Offices is available to all users regardless the office in which they reside. In Quarter Plaza, comprising a total of approximately 11,000 sq.m, approximately 2,000 sqm is currently available.

In the transaction with Hanshow, Equity Estate was advised by Colliers International and is letting agent of Quarter Plaza together with Van Gool Elburg.

Equity Estate extends lease agreement with Winkler Logistik GmbH in Kassel

17-10, 2019

Equity Estate has secured a five year lease extension with Winkler Logistik GmbH. Winkler leases approx.. 13,800 sqm warehouse space and approx. 2,800 sqm office and commercial space at the Otto-Hahn-Strasse 26-28 property in Lohfelden (Kassel), Germany.

Winkler is one of the leading wholesalers of commercial vehicle parts in Europe with 42 locations, a full range of 200,000 parts, and over 1,600 employees.

The property in Kassel is part of the Queristics Investment Porffolio which is founded by Equity Estate and constructed between 2006 and 2010 together with a Middle Eastern investor. In 2018 Equity Estate recapitalized the portfolio together with Partners Group, bought out the investor from the Middle East, and kept on asset managing the portfolio.