Fund solution for work environments of the future
The trend towards flexible space and usage concepts such as office sharing and co-working prompted the launch of a new fund solution in summer 2016: Urban Campus Nr. 1. This special AIF saw Union Investment and its strategic partner Investa launching the first institutional investment fund in Germany that invests exclusively in modern campus properties.
Uferstadt Fürth was acquired a few weeks later as the first property to be added to Urban Campus Nr. 1. Located in the Nuremberg metropolitan region, the campus complex meets all the fund’s criteria. It consists of seven buildings with 38 different tenants and has the feel of a vibrant village set within an urban environment. The flexible office spaces are well served by a wide range of restaurants, cafés, retail outlets and other amenities.
The on-site facilities include an established nursery which can be used by tenants. As the property is located in the science zone that links Nuremberg and Fürth, tenants are able to take advantage of the associated scientific institutions. The proximity of the scientific community and business world presents opportunities for exciting partnerships. The property is also surrounded by residential buildings and is therefore part of an attractive mixed living and working environment that can be conveniently accessed by all tenants.
Uferstadt Fürth occupies the former headquarters site of German manufacturer Grundig, a global market leader in consumer electronics and household appliances. As the first property acquired for Urban Campus Nr. 1, it is a prime example of how old commercial properties can be updated to provide space for the new, flexible and project-focused ways of working that are now increasingly normal. Uferstadt Fürth also demonstrates that sites on the outskirts of city centres in major conurbations are becoming attractive to investors as locations for modern office environments. This broadens Union Investment’s options correspondingly in terms of property acquisitions.
In its partnership with Investa, Union Investment is responsible for fund management and investor support. Investa is in charge of asset management of the property and ensuring that the campus properties are continually adapted to meet tenant requirements. The focus is not just on young technology and creative businesses – a balanced mix of tenants is also crucial for this type of modern campus property.