Press releases
You will find the most recent press releases from Union Investment here. This page also has press releases from the last three years. Are you are looking for older press releases or do you have questions about special topics? Just contact the Press Office team.
Press archive
2023
Retail Index: Signs of recovery in European retail markets
Union Investment acquires four planned residential towers in Amsterdam
Union Investment sells transformation property in downtown Dortmund to family foundation
Generational change of leadership at Union Investment Real Estate GmbH: Volker Noack hands over the asset management baton to Henrike Waldburg
Union Investment acquires Westfalen Center Dortmund
Union Investment acquires local retail park in Ludwigsburg
Union Investment secures income for funds by letting over a million square metres of space in 2022
Investor survey: Double bottleneck in property markets
Union Investment’s real estate business sees steady growth in 2022 even after interest rate hikes
2022
Union Investment broadens customer base for institutional real estate solutions
Union Investment sells Maraton office building in Poznań to UNIQA Real Estate
Union Investment acquires repurpused property in Nürtingen
Union Investment acquires office development in Lyon Part-Dieu
Union Investment lets additional floor
Union Investment acquires hypermarket in Lisbon’s largest shopping centre
Union Investment adds long-stay offering to YVIE mixed-use project in Amsterdam
Union Investment acquires Smart Tower in Graz
Union Investment enters the resort hotel asset class
Union Investment acquires trophy office building in Sunnyvale, California
Union Investment extends lease with Texas Capital Bank in Dallas
Union Investment acquires logistics property in Poland
Union Investment acquires office development in Paris
GRAI: Unsettled mood in Europe’s retail markets
Union Investment acquires exciting construction project in Erlangen
PropTech Innovation Award Winner: „Made of Air“
Union Investment sells Alberga A office building
Union Investment secures its second residential development in Ireland
Union Investment acquires planned Aura office building in Helsinki
Union Investment lets seven floors of landmark TRIIIO Hamburg office ensemble
PropTech Innovation Award 2022: Finalists chosen
Property Investment Climate I/2022: European real estate investors in pricing phase
Union Investment enters the Scandinavian hotel market
Union Investment acquires premium office tower Eclipse in Düsseldorf
Union Investment extends lease with Deloitte in Hanover ahead of expiry
Deloitte is the main tenant of the landmark office building "Haus am Aegi". The auditor leases 9,200 sq m and has extended its lease by five years. The property was added last year to the portfolio of institutional real estate fund UniInstitutional German Real Estate.
Union Investment acquires a logistics development in Almelo
Union Investment acquires a logistics destination destination in XL Business Park Twente in Almelo the Netherlands. The acquisition is on behalf of Union Investment’s open-ended property fund UniImmo: Europa.
Union Investment acquires residential project in Amsterdam
Union Investment acquires the residential project Urban Villas and is therefore expanding its strategic position in the Dutch residential property market. This marks the fourth transaction in Amsterdam´s residential property market.
Union Investment acquires two office developments in Stuttgart
Union Investment acquires Degerloch Office Center (DOC) 1 and 2 via a forward funding deal. The acquisition will be added to the holdings of open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Deutschland.
Re-entry into the Spanish office property market
Union Investment is once again investing in the Spanisch office property market. The Building C of the Cornerstone ensemble in Barcelona will be added to the holdings of institutional open-ended mutual real estate fund UniInstitutional European Real Estate.
Union Investment acquires planned office building in Wood City district of Helsinki
Union Investment has acquired a planned timber-framed office building in Helsinki from leading Finnish construction company SRV via a forward funding deal. It is one of the first projects in Finland to be aligned with the EU taxonomy.
Retail Index continues to seek clear direction after temporary increase
Union Investment and GfK publishes the Global Retail Attractiveness Index which measures the attractiveness of retail markets across a total of 20 countries in Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region. In the first Quarter 2022 the Index secured its comparatively good level.
German hotel market grows again in 2021
Union Investment and bulwiengesa calculated theworth of the institutional German hotel market. Following a significant fall in 2020, the value of investable hotels in Germany shows an increas of 6.9 per cent over previous year.
Union Investment acquires serviced apartments new build from Corestate
Union Investment has acquired the recently completed Kontorhaus am Wall property in Bremen’s historic old town. The furnished apartments for longer stays are managed by STAYERY. The acquisition is being made on behalf of special real estate fund Urban Living Nr. 1.
Union Investment enters the light industrial asset class
Via a forward funding deal Union Investment has secured a logistics and production facility in Kassel - the new headquarters of Hexagon Purus. The purchase is being made for special fund UII Garbe Logistics Real Estate Fund.
Union Investment Real Estate opens office in London
Union Investment opens it´s sixth office outside Germany. In London, a fully integrated team of specialists in various disciplines is gradually being built up to fully cover the real estate life cycle. To start with, the initial team will be staffed by three local investment and asset management experts.
Union Investment enters the Irish logistics market
With the acquisition of the Primark distribution centre in Newbridge we are entering the Irish logistics market. The acquisition is being made on behalf of institutional real estate fund UniInstitutional European Real Estate.
Sixth International PropTech Innovation Award launched
With this year's theme, “Smart solutions for a sustainable value chain”, Union Investment, GERMANTECH and Townscape are looking for innovative solutions for sustainable value chains in the construction and real estate sector.
Michael Bütter elected to Supervisory Board of Union Investment Institutional Property GmbH
With effect from 28 March 2022 Michael Bütter has been elected to the Supervisory Board of Hamburg-based real estate investment company Union Investment Institutional Property GmbH and replaces Alexander Schindler.
Virgin Australia finds new permanent home at Southpoint Tower in Brisbane
Virgin Australia, one of Australia’s largest airlines, will be joining Flight Centre Travel Group’s global head office. From September 2023 they will enter into a direct lease with Union Investment. The Southpoint Tower is held by open-ended real estate fund UniImmo: Europa.
Union Investment sells office and commercial building in Düsseldorf to PANDION
Union Investment has sold an office and commercial building in Düsseldorf on behalf of special real estate fund UII GermanM. The building was one of the first properties to be added to the portfolio of the fund.
Union Investment acquires Planetencenter in Garbsen from Savills Investment Management
Union Investment has acquired a fully let retail park in the Hanover catchment area on behalf of special real estate fund UII GermanM.
Union Investment acquires planned office and commercial building in Cologne city centre
Union Investment acquires a high-quality development. The office and commercial building on Schildergasse, a well-known shopping street in Cologne. The acquisition will be added to the holdings of open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Deutschland.
Union Investment retains five major office tenants in the US and Australia
Union Investment made a successful start to the 2022 financial year by reletting a total of 58,400 sq m of office space in the overseas markets. The properties all belong to the portfolio of UniImmo: Global and UniImmo: Europa.
Strong letting performance: Union Investment achieves much bigger reduction in vacancies than in previous year
Union Investment let significantly more commercial real estate space in 2021. Overall, a total of approximately 1.3 million sq m of commercial real estate space was let or relet. Almost half of the lettings were in Germany. Offices account for around one third of lettings. In markets outside Europe Union Investment let or relet approximately 144,398 sq m of space.
Union Investment brings Radisson Blu hotel brand to Barcelona
Union Investment has acquired a hotel in Barcelona, Spain, which will be converted to a Radisson Blu as part of the acquisition process. The hotel is located close to the famous basilica of the Sagrada Familia. A 25-year lease has been signed with Radisson Hotel Group. The hotel has LEED sustainability certification in Gold and an EPC A rating.
Survey of investors: Transformation in the property markets
Union Investment publishes the Investment Climate Study 2/2021. There is a growing pressure from European as well as national and local regulations to improve the sustainability of property stock. 150 property companies and institutional real estate investors in Germany, France and the UK have been asked.
Union Investment sees strong growth in real estate business and expands investment universe
Backed by stable cash inflows, Union Investment significantly expanded its real estate business in 2021. A record number of acquisitions took place: Acquisition of 45 properties with a total value of more than EUR 6.0 billion, property sales worth a total of around EUR 600 million, real estate assets under active and passive management reaching a new record level of EUR 51.7 billion.
Catharina Becker to become head of Institutional Property Solutions at Union Investment
Catharina Becker will head up the Institutional Property Solutions department at Union Investment Institutional Property GmbH in Hamburg as of 1 February 2022. Together with her team she will be responsible for developing tailored institutional real estate solutions and new institutional real estate mandates at Union Investment, while coordinating closely with product management and sales.
2021
Union Investment enters the US multifamily market with $226.5 million purchase
Union Investment is entering the US multifamily market. The Hamburg-based real estate investment manager has acquired two multifamily properties known as “EON Squared” in the heart of Flagler Village for each of its two open-ended real estate funds UniImmo: Global and UniImmo: Europa.
Union Investment records strong growth in institutional real estate business
Union Investment significantly expanded its business with institutional real estate funds, club funds and Service KVG mandates in 2021.Real estate assets under management in institutional products grew in the current financial year and now total EUR 17.1 billion.
Union Investment acquires Hanse Trio complex in Rostock from LIST Develop Commercial
For open-ended real estate fund immofonds 1 Union Investment acquires the Hanse Trio complex in Rostock from developer LIST Develop Commercial. The ensemble was constructed in 2020–2021 and offers 14,000 sq m of rental space comprising two hotels and an office building.
Union Investment acquires Astro Tower in Brussels
For the institutional real estate fund UniInstitutional European Real Estate Union Investment acquires the Astro Tower in Brussels. Vendor of the landmark office building is PATRIZIA AG. The Tower is fully let to Actiris with 21 years remaining on the lease.
Union Investment acquires Grocery Anchored Retail Center in Florida
On behalf of open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Europa Union Investment has acquired the Fountains of Boynton, a grocery anchored retail center in Florida. The property, which consists of five buildings, is located in Boynton Beach, a centrally located suburban community in northern Palm Beach County.
Union Investment acquires Cäcilium office building in Cologne
For the holdings of special real estate fund UII German Prime Select Union Investment acquires the Cäcilium building in Cologne city centre. The office building offers around 19,380 sq m of rental space and is let to ten different creditworthy tenants.
Brand upgrade: Union Investment brings Hilton to Innsbruck
As part of a rebranding and extensive refurbishment programme, the former Hotel Ramada Innsbruck Tivoli is being significantly upgraded and repositioned under the Hilton Garden Inn Innsbruck brand. Union Investment has signed a long-term lease for 30 years with German hotel operating company HR Group.
Union Investment sells office building in Vienna
Union Investment has sold an office building located at Dresdner Straße 82 in Vienna. The property, which was completed in 2003, offers rental space of 4,580 sq m plus 29 parking spaces. It was added to the holdings of open-ended real estate fund immofonds 1 in 2014, a fund which is marketed solely in Austria.
Asset class hotel: Positive under way with aligned priorities
After the extremely massive slump last year, the index values of the current hospitalityInside Investment BAROMETER - surveyed in autumn by the specialist publisher HospitalityInside and Union Investment among around 60 hotel experts - are approaching those of 2019 again.
Union Investment acquires office project in Munich’s Werksviertel district from PANDION
By summer 2024 PANDION AG will built a PANDION OFFICEHOME with around 44,700 m² leasable office space. The building has already been fully let for 15 years to the Bundesanstalt für Immobilienaufgaben.
Vattenfall extends lease with Union Investment
Ahead of expiry Vattenfall extends lease with Union Investment for the global headquarter of the state-owned energy provider at Uarda 5 in Solna, Stockholm, for another ten years. Upon completion in 2012, the complex received the European Green Building Award.
Union Investment active again in Paris office market
Union Investment invested in the prime office building at 60B Avenue d'Iéna in the heart of Paris. The acquisition will be added to the portfolio of the special real estate fund DEFO-Immobilienfonds 1. The vendor is Zaka Investments, a French investment company.
Re-entering the US market: Union Investment acquires retail property in Chicago
Union Investment has acquired a trophy retail property on Chicago’s most exclusive shopping street - 57-65 East Oak Street. The acquisition is being made on behalf of open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Europa.
Union Investment enters the Asian logistics real estate market
Union Investment’s acquisition of West Anseong Logistics Center marks its entry into the logistics real estate market in the Asia Pacific region. The acquisition is being made on behalf of open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Global.
Union Investment acquires logistics project in the Netherlands
Union Investment has acquired a planned logistics property called Van Acht Koel- & Vriesopslag in Veghel in the Netherlands via a forward funding deal. Offering some 57,600 sq m of rental space, the logistics centre is scheduled for completion by the third quarter of 2022.
Europe’s retail markets emerging from crisis
European retail markets turned the corner in the third quarter of 2021. The Retail Attractiveness Index, which is compiled jointly by Union Investment and GfK and measures the attractiveness of the 15 most important retail markets in Europe.
Union Investment acquires second residential project in Finland
Union Investment has acquired the Atlas project in Helsinki from Nordic construction and project development company Skanska. Offering total rental space of 15,952 sq m, the 33-storey residential tower will comprise 288 apartments and three retail units on the ground floor.
Union Investment acquires ‘’De Puls’’ development in Amsterdam's South Axis district
Union Investment has acquired the development “De Puls” in Amsterdam’s South Axis district, the most important office market in the Netherlands. The development is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2024 and comprises a 25-storey office tower, a 22-storey residential block and a connecting 9-storey, mixed-use plinth.
Union Investment acquires trophy office building in the CBD of Paris
Sale and leaseback in the CBD of Paris: Union Investment has acquired an office building at 59 Boulevard Haussmann / 34 rue des Mathurins. The seller is the French bank Crédit du Nord, which has leased back the property.
Survey of Investors: Beginning of a new property cycle
Optimism is returning to the major European real estate markets, even though the pandemic is still not fully under control. The Real Estate Investment Climate Index compiled by Union Investment in Germany, France and the UK showed a marked recovery in all three countries in the first half of 2021 and has returned to pre-coronavirus levels or even slightly above.
Union Investment acquires office building in the CBD of Paris
Union Investment has acquired an office building in one of the best business addresses in Europe. The property is situated in the CBD of Paris at the end of Avenue du Coq, a private road close to Saint-Lazare railway station. The purchase marks the re-entry of Union Investment to the French investment market.
Jenni Wenkel joins management board of Union Investment Real Estate Austria AG
Jenni Wenkel has been appointed to the management board of Union Investment Real Estate Austria AG with effect from 1 September 2021. As Chief Investment Officer, she will be responsible for investment management at the Vienna-based property fund manager. She replaces Dr. Kurt Rossmüller, who will henceforth be primarily involved in a strategic growth project at Union Investment.
Union Investment acquires Bank of Scotland office building in Edinburgh
Union Investment has acquired approximately 14,700 sq m of office space in the centre of Edinburgh. The New Uberior House/Princes Exchange complex is situated in the Exchange District, an established office location that is home to many multinational companies. The space is fully let to the Bank of Scotland.
Union Investment acquires office complex in Dublin business centre
Union Investment has acquired blocks A and B of the Parkgate Business Centre in Dublin from real estate funds managed by Blackstone. The business centre comprises four separate office units. The acquired buildings A and B are fully let to Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
Union Investment acquires planned aparthotel in London from Regal London
Union Investment is expanding its portfolio of long stay hotel accommodation. The Hamburg-based real estate investment manager has acquired the Wilde by Staycity hotel development in London. The 14-storey aparthotel, due to complete in November 2021, will have 156 rooms.
Union Investment and Edeka extend lease ahead of expiry in Berlin’s ALEXA shopping centre
Union Investment has extended the lease with Edeka in Berlin’s ALEXA shopping centre for a further 10 years. Although the original contract was not due to expire until the end of May 2022, the food retailer took an early decision to ensure that it can stay in the space.
Union Investment acquires new operators for hotels in New York City and Portland
Union Investment has acquired two new, big-name operators for its hotels in New York City and Portland, both of which are held by UniImmo: Global. Motel One has signed a 20-year lease for the hotel in New York City. In Portland, Oxford Capital Group, LLC will take over as tenant and manager of The Porter hotel.
Union Investment Real Estate reorganises global investment management
Union Investment is making organisational changes to pave the way for expansion of its national and international real estate business. The Restructuring of investment teams underlines focus on resilient investment styles.
Union Investment lets 9,600 sq m of space in Freiburg’s Breisgau Center to Kaufland
The Breisgau Center in Freiburg has a new anchor tenant. Union Investment has signed a lease with Kaufland for 9,600 sq m of space. The food retailer will take over space previously occupied by real hypermarket.
Entry into Irish hotel market: Union Investment acquires planned Premier Inn hotel in Dublin’s Docklands district
Union Investment is entering the Irish hotel market. The Hamburg-based real estate investment manager has acquired the planned Premier Inn hotel in Dublin’s Docklands. Union Investment has been active in the Irish office property market since 2015.
French company Wishibam wins international PropTech Innovation Award 2021
French company Wishibam won over the jury of seven experts at the fifth PropTech Innovation Award to take top prize in this year’s final round. Wishibam, winner in the “Re:Create Retail” category, helps shopping malls and city centres adapt to the digital world.
Union Investment technology spin-off launches digital ecosystem for commercial properties with Run this place app
Union Investment Real Estate Digital GmbH, a Union Investment tech spin-off, is launching Run this place as the first step towards a digital ecosystem for all real estate stakeholders.
Staying in local hands: Union Investment acquires headquarters of Hamburg Süd shipping company
Union Investment has acquired the headquarters of Hamburg Süd at Willy-Brandt-Straße 59-65. The shipping company is moving out of its long-established home at the end of this year after some 57 years. Union Investment will then reposition the landmark office ensemble in the market.
Union Investment acquires future British Telecom headquarters in London
Union Investment has acquired the One Braham office tower in London from the developer/investor Aldgate Developments. The purchase is split evenly between open-ended real estate funds UniImmo: Deutschland and UniImmo: Europa. The purchase price is more than EUR 500 million.
PropTech Innovation Award: 15 finalists confirmed
An international jury of seven experts has selected the 15 finalists for the PropTech Innovation Award. Under the slogan “Accelerating the Real Estate Evolution”, prizes will be awarded for the best digital solutions and business models that address the most pressing issues facing the real estate industry in the post-coronavirus era.
Union Investment bee project: 27 new sites for honey bees plus wild bee boxes
Good news to coincide with the UN’s World Bee Day – the second phase of Union Investment’s “Imke” environmental project is going ahead in conjunction with the Berlin-based “Stadtbienen” non-profit beekeeping association. Two bee colonies per site are being established at 27 more properties across Germany and Austria and, for the first time, at two locations in Switzerland.
Union Investment acquires landmark “Haus am Aegi” office building in Hanover from Quantum
Union Investment has acquired the Haus am Aegi office building in Hanover city centre from Quantum Immobilien Kapitalverwaltungsgesellschaft (KVG). The acquisition is being made on behalf of institutional real estate fund UniInstitutional German Real Estate.
The winner of First Store by ALEXA Vol. 3
The jury members went for "Shaleen & Dana" and their cultural project, Artcellation by SURD. The retail competition, First Store by ALEXA, which is run by the Berlin shopping and leisure centre of the same name, has been held since 2016 as a future lab for new concepts in retail.
Union Investment acquires residential property in Amsterdam
Union Investment is further expanding its position in the Amsterdam residential property market. The real estate investment manager, based in Hamburg, has secured the AMST residential project in Amsterdam for the portfolio of open-ended real estate fund UniImmo: Deutschland.
Maximilian Brauers appointed new Member of the Board of Managing Directors of Union Investment Institutional Property GmbH
Dr Maximilian Brauers has been appointed to the Board of Managing Directors of Union Investment Institutional Property GmbH with effect from 1 July 2021, subject to approval by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). In his new role, Brauers will be in charge of real estate sales for German and international key accounts within Union Investment’s institutional business.
Georg Niemeyer to head up data management at Union Investment Real Estate GmbH
Georg Niemeyer has been appointed Head of Data Management, Reporting & Systems at Hamburg-based Union Investment Real Estate GmbH with effect from 1 May 2021. He replaces Lars Scheidecker, who joined the senior management team of Union Investment Real Estate Digital GmbH, a Union Investment technology spin-off, on 1 September 2020.
Comeback of the hotel market: Union Investment secures flagship project in Stuttgart
Following a six-month pause on investment during the coronavirus pandemic, Union Investment is one of the first players to return to the German hotel market. The Hamburg-based real estate investment manager has acquired a hotel tower under development in Stuttgart’s Europa district via a forward funding deal.
Accelerating evolution in the real estate industry: proptechs driving innovation during the coronavirus crisis
Following a brief period of reorientation, the international tech community is responding, showing itself vibrant and ready for the next evolutionary step. That is reflected in the entries to the PropTech Innovation Award, which is being held this year for the fifth time by Union Investment and GERMANTECH.
Union Investment and Hines Acquire Office Project MediaWorks Munich in a Joint-Venture-Deal
Union Investment and Hines, the international real estate firm, have acquired the MediaWorks office project in Munich's Werksviertel district in a joint-venture off-market transaction. Union Investment holds the vast majority of the shares, while Hines acts as equity partner and operational developer on site.
Union Investment moves into Irish residential property market
Union Investment is further expanding its strategic position in the European residential real estate market. Having recently entered the Finnish residential market with the purchase of the Hyperion development in Helsinki, the Hamburg-based real estate investment manager is now making a similar move in Ireland.
Union Investment has acquired a forward funding logistics development in Venlo, the Netherlands
Union Investment has acquired the “Greenfield” logistics project in Venlo, the Netherlands. The development of a logistics property with a total rental area of 61,750 m² will be built by the end of the third quarter of 2022. Sustainability certification according to BREEAM "Good" is planned.
Union Investment acquires Terrano office building in Munich
Union Investment has acquired the Terrano office building on Arnulfstraße, Munich. The acquisition will be added to the holdings of institutional open-ended real estate fund UniInstitutional German Real Estate. The seller is an individual mandate managed by Invesco Real Estate.
Resilience in consumer grocery spending increases investor appetite in European grocery real estate
New report from JLL & Union Investment highlights growing grocery real estate market, with the share of European grocery real estate investment as a proportion of total retail real estate investment reaching 22% in 2020, up from 6% in 2016.
Union Investment enters Finnish residential property market
The Hyperion development in Helsinki is Union Investment’s second major investment in residential property. Following on from UniImmo: Europa’s purchase of the Y-Towers project in Amsterdam, likewise in the residential segment, Union Investment’s sister fund - UniImmo: Deutschland - is now also gradually building strategic exposure to the European residential real estate markets.
Union Investment and Radisson extend lease for premium hotel in Berlin’s DomAquarée complex until 2040
The Radisson Hotel Group has secured one of the best hotel locations in Berlin’s Mitte district long term by signing a 20-year lease with Union Investment.
Karim Esch moves up to board of Union Investment Institutional Property GmbH
Karim Esch, a long-time manager at Union Investment Institutional Property GmbH, is joining the board of the Hamburg-based real estate investment company with effect from 1 March 2021. As a member of the board, the 49-year-old will primarily be responsible for the AIFM Services Business.
European retail markets pull out of downward trend in fourth quarter of 2020
The first Europe-wide lockdown in spring 2020 sent retail markets from Scandinavia to the Iberian peninsula into an unprecedented state of collective shock. A deeper crash appears to have been avoided, though.
Union Investment acquires Dutch logistics portfolio from STELLAR DEVELOPMENT
Union Investment has partnered with STELLAR DEVELOPMENT on a speculative forward funding logistics portfolio in the Netherlands with a total lettable area of around 83,000 sq m. The logistics portfolio consists of three developments in Wijchen, Aalsmeer and Utrecht.
Union Investment maintains high occupancy rate
Union Investment was able to maintain a high level of occupancy in its real estate portfolio in 2020, despite the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Across all actively managed real estate funds, the overall occupancy rate based on income was 95.1 per cent at the end of 2020.
Union Investment and GERMANTECH launch 5th annual international PropTech Innovation Award
The PropTech Innovation Award, which carries prize money of EUR 40,000, is being held for the fifth year. Under the slogan “Accelerating the Real Estate Evolution”, award founders Union Investment and GERMANTECH will once again be recognising outstanding digital solutions and business models that address the most pressing issues in the real estate industry.
Investor survey: Pandemic redefines office investment landscape
European real estate investors are rethinking their office property strategies in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. While the old mantra of location, location, location still holds true, a shift towards core, core, core is apparent in the current situation.
Steady growth path: Union Investment completes real estate transactions worth EUR 4.1 billion
Union Investment has continued to deliver reliable growth despite a challenging investment environment. In an exceptional year dominated by the pandemic, the Hamburg-based real estate investment manager invested around EUR 4.1 billion in the European commercial real estate markets in 2020.
Petia Zeiringer appointed to management board of Union Investment Real Estate Austria AG
Union Investment Real Estate Austria AG is expanding its senior leadership team. Petia Zeiringer has been appointed to the management board with effect from 1 January 2021. She will be responsible for fund management and asset management.
2020
Climate neutral in Brussels: Union Investment acquires “The First” project in Quartier Léopold
Union Investment has acquired The First, an office project in Brussels, the Belgian capital, via a forward funding deal. The existing property, which was built in 1979, will be completely repositioned and new storeys added.
The First Store by ALEXA retail competition enters its third round, this time with an entirely new concept
After two editions as an open competition, it will be now run in cooperation with Deutsche POP. First Store by ALEXA as Academy Edition will be open exclusively to students of this creative academy.
Asset class hotels: Underway with changed priorities
Despite the corona pandemic, there is still a lot of liquidity in the German hotel real estate market. Accordingly, the interest in the asset class hotel basically remains strong. Individual priorities have changed. This and more is revealed by the current hospitalityInside INVESTMENT BAROMETER 2020, which the specialist publisher carries out every autumn together with Union Investment.
Union Investment acquires planned office building on Neue Balan campus in Munich
In one of the largest individual transactions in the German office property market so far this year, Union Investment has acquired the planned “Neue Balan Haus 27” office building in Munich. The acquisition will be added to the portfolio of open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Deutschland. The purchase price was over EUR 100 million.
Union Investment acquires Germany-wide logistics portfolio from GARBE
Union Investment has acquired the Rocket portfolio from GARBE Industrial Real Estate. The logistics portfolio consists of six development projects and two existing buildings. The purchases are being made for two new logistics special funds launched jointly by Union Investment and GARBE Industrial Real Estate.
Union Investment acquires Grade A office building in prime Birmingham location
Union Investment has acquired an architectural gem in the heart of Birmingham. The office building dates from 1875 and has a listed Victorian façade. Located at 55 Colmore Row, it enjoys one of the best business addresses in Birmingham. The acquisition is being made on behalf of open-ended real estate fund UniInstitutional European Real Estate.
Union Investment acquires Medicus portfolio including six core properties from Hines
Union Investment has acquired the Medicus portfolio with six mixed-use core properties in Düsseldorf and Berlin for a recently launched speciality fund. The portfolio was sold by a pension scheme (“Versorgungswerk”) as well as a joint venture of several pension schemes and Hines.
Union Investment acquires Diamond building in Ghent through property company
Union Investment has acquired the Diamond office building in the Belgian city of Ghent through the property company Global Life Tree NV. The acquisition is being made on behalf of open-ended special real estate fund UII EuropeanM, which is targeted at institutional investors.
Union Investment extends contract for Pullman Berlin Schweizerhof hotel by 15 years ahead of expiry
In conjunction with a change of operator at the Pullman Berlin Schweizerhof hotel on Budapester Straße, the remaining term of the existing contract was extended from 15 to 30 years.
Survey of investors: Coronavirus crisis causing significant changes in investment strategies
The coronavirus crisis has led to a significant shift in the investment strategies of institutional real estate investors. “Lower risk, lower return” is the mantra of the moment.
Union Investment brings bees to the city
66 bee colonies comprising over a million bees moved into properties owned by Union Investment. The bees are now resident on the roofs of offices, shops and logistics properties belonging to the Hamburg-based real estate investment manager’s fund portfolio.
Union Investment acquires two retail properties in Brussels and Madrid
Union Investment has acquired a retail park in Madrid and a commercial building in Brussels for special fund UII EuropeanM. These are the first two retail properties to be added to the fund.
Union Investment acquires retail park in Styria
The HATRIC Q2 retail park in Hartberg, Styria (Austria) has changed hands. Union Investment has secured the building with its approximately 6,800 sq m of rental space, which opened in 2005. The acquisition will be added to the holdings of open-ended real estate fund immofonds 1.
Union Investment acquires planned logistics property in Rotterdam area
Union Investment has acquired a planned logistics centre in Ridderkerk, south-east of Rotterdam. The seller of the logistics property is Somerset Capital Partners, an experienced Dutch developer.
Union Investment Real Estate GmbH expands senior leadership team by appointing Michael Bütter as future CEO
Union Investment Real Estate GmbH is reinforcing its senior leadership team by bringing on board Michael Bütter (50), a respected real estate manager with many years of industry experience.
Union Investment acquires logistics project in Nuremberg region
The economic transfer (closing) of a site comprising around 150,000 sq m in Buchschwabach-Roßtal in the Fürth district has been completed. 81,200 sq m of logistics space will be constructed on Stuttgarter Straße by March 2021.
Investable hotel market in Germany hit all-time high in 2019
The latest calculations by Union Investment and bulwiengesa show that the investable hotel market in Germany increased in value by around 6.3 per cent compared to 2018 (EUR 57.5 billion).
Christoph Holzmann to join Union Investment Real Estate GmbH as COO
Union Investment Real Estate GmbH is expanding its senior leadership team. With effect from 1 July 2020, Christoph Holzmann (43) will be appointed to the Management Board of the Hamburg-based real estate investment manager as its fourth member.
Union Investment acquires planned logistics facility in the Netherlands
Union Investment has acquired a logistics project in Almere, the Netherlands, from construction company Aan de Stegge Twello. A total of 34,000 sq m of rental space will be built on the 52,200 sq m site in Stichtsekant business park by April 2021.
Union Investment acquires planned micro-living properties in Düsseldorf and Hamburg
Union Investment has acquired two planned micro-living properties in Düsseldorf and Hamburg comprising a total of 250 apartments.
Union Investment acquires office block in City of London from Goldman Sachs and Greycoat
Union Investment has acquired Procession House at 55 Ludgate Hill, London from Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division and British developer Greycoat.
PropTech Innovation Summit: creating momentum for digital ecosystems
On 19 May, around 600 participants logged in to the first-ever digital edition of the PropTech Innovation Summit organised by Union Investment and GERMANTECH.
Union Investment acquires Ericus-Contor building in Hamburg
Union Investment has secured an exceptional property in Hamburg’s HafenCity district. The Ericus-Contor building is being sold by Patrizia AG and will be added to the portfolio of open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Deutschland.
PropTech Innovation Award: Every finalist a winner
• Prize money to be shared equally among the 18 finalists
• PropTech Innovation Summit 2020 turned into digital platform
• Live stream discussions on digital solutions for life post-coronavirus
• PropTech Innovation Summit 2020 turned into digital platform
• Live stream discussions on digital solutions for life post-coronavirus
Union Investment increases its stake in the Watermark Place office property in London to 100 percent
Union Investment has successfully completed a property transaction in London and, after around five years since the acquisition of the first 50 percent stake, acquired the remaining 50 percent stake in the Watermark Place office property in the City of London. The seller is the previous joint venture partner, Oxford Properties Group (‘Oxford Properties’).
Union Investment acquires retail park in Austria
Union Investment has agreed to acquire Welas Park, a remodelled retail park in the economically thriving region of Linz-Wels. The property was originally constructed in 2006, and reopened in spring 2019.
Joint venture between Union Investment and Service KVG HANSAINVEST acquires KONRAD campus property in Munich
Union Investment has acquired a 50 per cent share of the KONRAD campus property in the east of Munich as part of a joint venture transaction. The property comprises around 38,000 sq m and the acquisition is being made on behalf of the Urban Campus Nr. 1 special AIF established jointly by Union Investment and Investa Capital Management (ICM).
Union Investment acquires Logistrial Real Estate from GARBE
Union Investment has acquired Logistrial Real Estate AG from GARBE Industrial Real Estate. The acquisition includes all the shares in Logistrial Real Estate AG. This is associated with the purchase of a logistics portfolio of a logistics portfolio comprising 13 existing properties and 6 development projects.
European retail markets resilient in face of global economic downturn
• Global Retail Attractiveness Index remains buoyant in Europe
• Germany, Portugal and Italy are top three in index
• France the only market to grow thanks to high consumer confidence
• Germany, Portugal and Italy are top three in index
• France the only market to grow thanks to high consumer confidence
Union Investment acquires planned office property in Dublin
Via a forward funding deal Union Investment has acquired a planned office property at 2 Grand Parade, Dublin, from Hines and Peterson Group. The building, which comprises around 9,600 sq m of rental space, is being constructed on a speculative basis and is scheduled for completion by mid of 2022.
German secondary cities highly favoured by foreign investors
• 60 per cent of respondents have an acquisition focus on secondary cities
• Investment climate in UK significantly improved
• 77 per cent expect transactions in 2020 to reach at least the prior-year level
• Investment climate in UK significantly improved
• 77 per cent expect transactions in 2020 to reach at least the prior-year level
Union Investment strengthens portfolio by letting over one million square metres of space in 2019
• New lettings and renewals of 1.1 million square metres in 21 countries
• Around 66 per cent of lettings accounted for by Germany
• 14 per cent of total space newly let or relet
• Around 66 per cent of lettings accounted for by Germany
• 14 per cent of total space newly let or relet
Union Investment completes single-property deals and project acquisitions worth EUR 2.8 billion
• 28 acquisitions in Europe
• Broad sourcing in all use segments
• Real estate funds post net sales of EUR 1.7 billion
• High occupancy rates maintained
• Broad sourcing in all use segments
• Real estate funds post net sales of EUR 1.7 billion
• High occupancy rates maintained
Union Investment secures seed portfolio for new special fund UII EuropeanM
Union Investment has agreed to acquire two planned hotel properties in Kraków and Katowice with a total of 527 rooms. The developer, vendor and future operator of the two midscale hotels, which are scheduled for completion in autumn 2021, is UBM.
2019
Union Investment and Generali Real Estate signed the agreement to acquire the Puerto Venecia shopping resort in Zaragoza
Union Investment and Generali Real Estate have signed the agreement to acquire the Puerto Venecia shopping resort in Zaragoza as part of a 50% - 50% joint venture. With around 19 million visitors a year, Puerto Venecia is one of the top 5 shopping destinations in Spain.
Union Investment acquires Gandon House in Dublin
Union Investment has acquired Gandon House, a 3,600 sq m office property at 1 Amiens Street in Dublin. The property was constructed in 1972 and has been fully let to the Office of Public Works (OPW) since 1979. The OPW is an agency of the Department of Public Expenditure.
Union Investment acquires retail and office building in central Helsinki
Union Investment has acquired an approximately 8,300 sq m retail and office property at 19 Aleksanterinkatu in Helsinki’s city centre. Built in 1898 in the Neo-Renaissance style, the building is located in an area which registers some 5.6 million passers-by a year – the highest footfall in the Finnish capital.
Seamless transition in top management
After more than 20 years in the management team at Union Investment Real Estate GmbH, including the last 12 as Chairman, Dr. Reinhard Kutscher (65) will hand over his duties to successor Jörn Stobbe (54) at the end of the year.
Union Investment commences construction of Y-Towers in Amsterdam
Construction activity to start in January 2020 / Expected construction period of around 36 months / General contractor Rizzani de Eccher to implement building complex comprising hotel and residential tower
Union Investment acquires planned logistics facility in Rotterdam area
Union Investment has acquired a 53,500 sq m logistics facility in Berkel en Rodenrijs near Rotterdam as part of a forward funding agreement. The vendor is Dutch company Heembouw Group, which is developing the facility for the future tenant, Fource Logistics.
Union Investment sells office complex in Paris region
Union Investment has sold the CityZen office complex comprising two buildings, A and B, offering some 38,000 sq m of space in the sub-market of Bois-Colombes, north-west of Paris.
Digitalisation – addressing the pain points
PropTech Innovation Award 2020 seeks solutions to real estate sector’s most pressing issues / Application phase gets under way
Union Investment acquires office property in Helsinki
Union Investment has acquired a 3,500 sq m office property in the Helsinki city centre. The fully let multi-tenant building at Lapinlahdenkatu 3 currently has 17 tenants. It was constructed in 1900 and most recently upgraded in 2008.
Union Investment takes forward major project in Amsterdam
Union Investment has taken over the development of the Y-Towers ensemble in the north of Amsterdam. This modern building complex featuring two towers and covering a gross floor area of some 106,000 sq m above and below ground is being constructed next to the river in the fast-growing Overhoeks district.
Union Investment reflags premium hotel in Berlin
Union Investment is completely revamping a 6,200 sq m hotel property on Gendarmenmarkt square in Berlin, thereby highlighting its commitment to this sought-after hotel location. The former Sofitel Berlin Gendarmenmarkt will be transformed into a new boutique hotel with the name Luc.
Union Investment provides visibility into sustainability of its fund properties
Union Investment teamed up with atmosgrad° to develop “atmosphere”, a new sustainability label that allows tenants, investors and other market players to see the sustainability performance of a property at a glance. The label was developed in response to the requirements of the Paris Agreement.
Union Investment acquires logistics property portfolio from TST
Portfolio comprises one existing property and three development projects in the Ruhr and Rheinhessen regions / Acquisition for Unilmmo: Europa
Retail property: GRAI index reveals encouraging signs for Germany, Ireland, Spain and Portugal
• Current market environment in Europe offers opportunities
• Strong consumer sentiment in most European markets
• Very robust labour markets
• Strong consumer sentiment in most European markets
• Very robust labour markets
Responsible investing: Union Investment extends exclusion criteria to real estate funds
Union Investment's real estate business has joined the responsible investment initiative and is now applying standards-based and values-based exclusion criteria to its actively managed property holdings, which are currently worth around EUR 35 Billion.
European real estate investors under pressure to act
• 67 per cent expect further drop in acquisition yields according to latest investment climate study
• Acquiring properties with vacant space increasingly becoming an option
• Acquiring properties with vacant space increasingly becoming an option
Union Investment boosts hotel investment team
To support the ongoing expansion of its hotel portfolio, Union Investment Real Estate GmbH has added to its team of specialists. Christoph Eichbaum (37) joined the now eight-strong Investment Management Hospitality team headed by Andreas Löcher on 1 August.
Digitisation divide in European real estate sector
• Different pace of innovation creating two camps
• Digital strategies defined by four action areas
• Investments expected to pay off after three years at the latest
• Digital strategies defined by four action areas
• Investments expected to pay off after three years at the latest
Union Investment acquires office property in Dublin’s South Docklands
Union Investment has acquired the 5 Hanover Quay office property in Dublin’s fast-growing South Docklands district. The property was built in 2018 and offers some 15,000 sq m of rental space. It is fully let to two established technology companies.
Union Investment acquires office property in central Helsinki
Union Investment has acquired an office property in central Helsinki comprising around 5,700 sq m of rental space. The property at Eteläesplanadi 12 facing the well-known Esplanadi park was constructed in 1899 and most recently upgraded in 2012.
Union Investment acquires logistics centre in Eschweiler near Aachen from GARBE Industrial Real Estate
Union Investment has acquired a logistics property comprising some 105,000 sq m of rental space from Garbe Industrial Real Estate. Located in Eschweiler near Aachen, the property was completed at the end of 2018 and is let on a long-term lease to logistics provider Hammer.
Union Investment achieves strong letting performance in first half of 2019
Union Investment let or relet a total of 430,000 sq m of commercial space in the first half of 2019, corresponding to an increase of around 80 per cent on the previous year.
Union Investment acquires HSB headquarters building in Stockholm
Union Investment has acquired a fully let office property in central Stockholm comprising around 11,500 sq m of rental space. The main tenant in the multi-tenant building is cooperative housing association HSB, which has around 600,000 members in Sweden and occupies some 85 per cent of the space.
Student housing: study by Union Investment and bulwiengesa reveals investment potential in 65 European cities
• Focusing purely on German Class A cities means missing chances
• Münster, Cologne and Stuttgart top the new city ranking
• Dublin scores highest among the non-German cities
• New strategies are required for the mid-price segment
• Münster, Cologne and Stuttgart top the new city ranking
• Dublin scores highest among the non-German cities
• New strategies are required for the mid-price segment
Union Investment acquires Ballast House in Dublin
Union Investment has acquired Ballast House in Dublin, a mixed-use property combining offices and retail units across 2,700 sq m of rental space. The property occupies a striking corner location on Aston Quay/Westmoreland Street and is one of Ireland’s best-known buildings due to featuring prominently in James Joyce’s novel Ulysses.
Union Investment completes management trio in Asset Management Hospitality
In response to the strong growth of its hotel portfolio in recent years, Union Investment has reorganised the management team in the Asset Management Hospitality segment and taken on additional staff.
Union Investment adds to hotel investment team
To support the expansion of its global hotel portfolio, Union Investment Real Estate GmbH has strengthened its specialist team. On 1 May, Benjamin Walter (38) took up the role of senior investment manager in the Investment Management Hospitality team headed by Andreas Löcher.
Dabbel wins international PropTech Innovation Award 2019
Dabbel Automation Intelligence from Germany has won the PropTech Innovation Award 2019 from more than 150 applicants from 48 countries.
Union Investment lets around 150,000 sq m of logistics space in Germany
Union Investment has let 150,000 sq m of logistics space across five properties in Germany, thereby stabilising the long-term earnings power of its logistics property portfolio.
Managing transformation the right way
PropTech Innovation Summit brings together digital technologies, innovation and extensive real estate expertise in Berlin for the third time
Union Investment acquires planned office complex on Neuer Kanzlerplatz square in Bonn from Art-Invest Real Estate
• Forward funding for three properties with a combined rental area of around 60,000 sq m
• Art-Invest Real Estate remains responsible for project until completion
• Sale reflects importance of project for Bonn as a business location
• Art-Invest Real Estate remains responsible for project until completion
• Sale reflects importance of project for Bonn as a business location
Union Investment acquires Cinema City building at Manufaktura in Łódź
Union Investment has acquired the Cinema City building ,which holds a modern multiplex cinema with 15 screens across some 7,400 sq m of rental space in the Polish city of Łódź. The largest cinema in the city, it is located on the same site as the Manufaktura shopping centre, which the Hamburg-based real estate investment manager has held in its portfolio since 2012.
Carnaby Capital sells first digital co-living concept in Berlin to Union Investment
Union Investment has acquired Living House Berlin, a co-living concept with 172 furnished rooms, for its Urban Living Nr. 1 special fund. It is the first smart building in the student accommodation sector.
Union Investment purchases an office property near the Louvre Museum in Paris
• The building was sold to Union Investment by Oreima, the leading French independent real estate investor after its recent renovation
• The main tenant is Spaces, a leading provider of innovative and scalable office spaces
• The acquisition is being made on behalf of Unilmmo: Deutschland and the sale by the FOSCA II fund
• The main tenant is Spaces, a leading provider of innovative and scalable office spaces
• The acquisition is being made on behalf of Unilmmo: Deutschland and the sale by the FOSCA II fund
Union Investment acquires planned micro-apartment complex in Dresden
Union Investment has agreed to acquire a planned micro-apartment complex in the east of Dresden’s historic city centre. The complex at Grunaer Straße 20 is scheduled for completion at the end of 2019 and will comprise 170 micro-apartments across a total rental area of 6,000 sq m.
Union Investment and IHG invest EUR 60 million in modernising InterContinental® Berlin
Lease term extended to 30 years / Upgrading works to take place during ongoing operation and be completed by end of 2022
Change in leadership at Union Investment Real Estate GmbH
Jörn Stobbe set to take over chairmanship of the board from Dr. Reinhard Kutscher in 2020
Complete remodelling of Steigenberger Hotel Hamburg
Never change a winning team: Union Investment, the owner of the property, and Steigenberger Hotels AG have extended the lease for the hotel on Hamburg’s Fleetinsel for another 25 years. The two parties have also agreed to carry out a comprehensive refurbishment of the hotel, which was built in 1992.
Union Investment lets more than 7,000 sq m of office space in downtown Berlin
Union Investment has successfully agreed two leases covering 7,200 sq m of office space in Berlin’s Mitte district.
Retail investment: Widening gap between Europe’s retail markets
• Germany remains a top performer
• Portugal is Europe’s most attractive retail market
• France, Ireland and Belgium see greatest declines
• Positive retail sales boost Global Retail Attractiveness Index (GRAI)
• Portugal is Europe’s most attractive retail market
• France, Ireland and Belgium see greatest declines
• Positive retail sales boost Global Retail Attractiveness Index (GRAI)
Climate change policy: When will Europe’s real estate investors come under real pressure to act?
Survey of 150 real estate professionals in Germany, France and the UK by Union Investment
Union Investment acquires office property in Amsterdam’s canal district
Union Investment has acquired the 5 Keizers office property in the centre of Amsterdam. The property consists of five separate buildings offering a total of around 15,000 sq m of rental space in the historic canal district, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Union Investment acquires office property in Potsdam
Union Investment has agreed to acquire an office property in Potsdam offering approximately 7,300 sq m of space. The building will be upgraded by the end of 2019 and is let on a long-term lease to a municipal company. The acquisition is being made on behalf of open-ended special real estate fund DIFA-Fonds Nr. 3.
Union Investment achieves strong letting results in 2018
• New lettings and renewals totalled 854,000 sq m
• More than half of lettings in Germany
• Renewals accounted for approximately 77 per cent
• More than half of lettings in Germany
• Renewals accounted for approximately 77 per cent
Annual results 2018: Union Investment invests EUR 2.3 billion on behalf of its real estate funds
• Real estate fund assets exceed EUR 40 billion for the first time
• Holdings almost fully let at 96.6 per cent
• Portfolio expansion mainly in the smaller properties segment
• Acquisitions focused on projects with high level of pre-letting
• Holdings almost fully let at 96.6 per cent
• Portfolio expansion mainly in the smaller properties segment
• Acquisitions focused on projects with high level of pre-letting
Study: European real estate investors enter 2019 with subdued expectations
• 41 per cent expect the investment climate to deteriorate
• Germany is the most popular investment destination in Europe
• Outside Europe, US real estate remains top choice
• Germany is the most popular investment destination in Europe
• Outside Europe, US real estate remains top choice
2018
Union Investment’s institutional real estate business continues to grow
• Investment assets up by 13 per cent
• 14 acquisitions made for institutional retail and special funds
• 14 acquisitions made for institutional retail and special funds
PropTech study by Union Investment and GTEC
Why partnerships between startups and established real estate companies often fail
Union Investment acquires planned Urban Environment House in Helsinki
Union Investment has agreed to acquire the planned Urban Environment House office property in the east of Helsinki via a forward purchase agreement. The property will offer some 27,500 sq m of rental space and is being constructed in the Kalasatama submarket, an inner city development zone.
Union Investment sells office property in Minneapolis
Union Investment has sold an office property in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The building at 950 Nicollet Mall / 50 South 10th Street offers approximately 46,000 sq m of space and is located in the heart of the city’s central business district.
Union Investment acquires office property in Bad Homburg
Union Investment has acquired an office building with a total rental area of 6,750 sq m in Bad Homburg, north of Frankfurt am Main.
Union Investment achieves full occupancy at Aeroplaza in Eindhoven
Union Investment has let some 3,000 sq m of space in its Aeroplaza office property, which is located in the immediate vicinity of Eindhoven’s airport, to ASML. The Dutch technology company is the world’s largest provider of lithography systems for the semiconductor industry.
Union Investment lets 5,700 sq m in Rotterdam to Rabobank
Union Investment has let approximately 5,700 sq m of office space in its FIRST Rotterdam tower to Dutch company Rabobank. The new tenant will occupy the ground floor and five upper storeys of the property.
Union Investment and Apleona launch joint energy monitoring project for 2019
Important step towards achieving a climate-neutral real estate portfolio
Unilmmo: Wohnen ZBI residential fund breaks through the EUR 1 billion barrier
Total of 6,317 rental units added to the fund / Real estate portfolio ramped up to around EUR 1.4 billion
Union Investment Real Estate completes first Danish transaction
German-based Union Investment Real Estate has made its first Danish real estate investment on Frederiksborggade 5 on Strøget in Copenhagen, Denmark.
hospitalityInside INVESTMENT BAROMETER Fall 2018:
• Transactions and developments becoming more difficult
• Decreasing willingness to put objects on the market
• Real estate market still remains at high level
• Decreasing willingness to put objects on the market
• Real estate market still remains at high level
Union Investment acquires planned micro-apartment complex in Wiesbaden from developer GBI
Union Investment has acquired a planned micro-apartment complex in the immediate vicinity of Wiesbaden’s main railway station as part of a forward funding agreement. The vendor and project developer is the GBI Group.
Union Investment acquires hotel properties with 248 rooms in the centre of Edinburgh
Union Investment has acquired two hotel properties in Edinburgh’s historic city centre. Since its opening in 2016, the 248-room development has been occupied by two hotel formats − a Premier Inn with 127 rooms and a Hub by Premier Inn with 121 rooms.
Union Investment acquires hotel property with more than 300 rooms in Charleston, USA
Union Investment has acquired a further hotel property in the US. Opened in 2015, the property is located on King Street in the historical city centre of Charleston, South Carolina, one of the most popular travel destinations in the United States.
Union Investment and Motel One welcome first guests at new hotel in Munich
Last night Union Investment and Motel One celebrated the pre-opening of the new hotel "Motel One München-Messe" together with about 300 guests. The timing could hardly have been better.
Union Investment sells office property in California
Union Investment has sold the Paseo del Mar office property in San Diego, California to Irvine Company.
Union Investment acquires hotel portfolio from benchmark. REAL Estate
Four development projects comprising 675 rooms in total / Acquisition for immofonds 1 and a special hotel fund
Union Investment and GTEC launch PropTech Innovation Award 2019
International tech competition for innovation in real estate getting under way for the third time / EUR 40,000 prize money / Access to attractive network including RICS and Reed Midem
Union Investment sells RellingHaus to Aegila Capital Management for EUR 145 Million
Union Investment acquired RellingHaus in 2004 and will hold four other commercial buildings in Essen following the transaction.
Union Investment acquires office property in Granite Park campus in Dallas
Union Investment has acquired the Granite Park VII office property in Dallas. Completed in 2017, the building offers 30,000 sq meters of prime office space and is fully let on a long-term lease to US government sponsored entity, Fannie Mae.
Union Investment acquires Beckhaus Center in Bielefeld
Union Investment has acquired the newly constructed Beckhaus Center in Bielefeld. The modern retail park on Beckhausstraße offers 4,800 sq m of rental space and 193 parking spaces and is fully let
Union Investment develops new Manage to Green strategy for commercial properties
How can the building stock be made virtually climate neutral by 2050? That is the issue long-term investment managers are currently grappling with. In light of this, Union Investment has revised the Sustainable Investment Check (SI Check), thereby laying the foundation for its new Manage to Green strategy.
Union Investment sells logistics centre in Helsinki
Union Investment has sold an approximately 6,600 sq m logistics centre in Helsinki to VVT Property Fund I Ky. The property is located at Tikkurilantie 136 in Vantaa, a district close to the airport. It was fully let on a long-term lease to the Dayton Group at the time of sale.
Union Investment/ZBI residential fund for private customers continues to grow
Open-ended real estate fund UniImmo: Wohnen ZBI has grown by around 750 units with a total value of EUR 82.3 million over the past three months. Roughly one year after launch the fund thus comprises property assets worth EUR 882 million.
Union Investment sells two office properties in Helsinki
Union Investment has sold the Plaza Pilke and Plaza Hehku office properties in Helsinki. The properties are located in the Aviapolis submarket close to the airport and have a combined rental area of some 11,000 sq m. The sales price is over € 34 mn which is above the most recent expert valuation for both properties.
Union Investment awards property management contracts for 150 commercial properties in Germany
• New 2+2 service provider strategy implemented
• Portfolio comprises two million square metres of rental space
• Sustainability and digitisation play important role in contract award
• Portfolio comprises two million square metres of rental space
• Sustainability and digitisation play important role in contract award
European real estate investors focus on risk avoidance in late stage of market cycle
• Expected style drift fails to materialise
• Increased caution around retail and hotel investments
• Investment Climate Index loses momentum
• Increased caution around retail and hotel investments
• Investment Climate Index loses momentum
Union Investment acquires planned office tower in Frankfurt
Union Investment is investing in a planned 100-metre-high office tower comprising 24,000 sq m of rental space in Frankfurt’s banking district. The acquisition will be added to the holdings of open-ended real estate fund UniImmo: Deutschland.
Union Investment ends first half of 2018 with strong letting figures
In the first six months of 2018, Union Investment let or relet a total of 242,000 sq m of commercial real estate space. Around 50 per cent of the lettings were in Germany.
Union Investment sells Pórtico office building in Madrid
Union Investment has sold the Pórtico office building in eastern Madrid to a fund managed by a French real estate investor. Comprising some 21,000 sq m of space, the property was constructed in 2005 and includes 413 parking spaces. It was acquired by Union Investment in 2008 and held in the UniImmo: Deutschland portfolio.
Union Investment sells office property in Helsinki
Union Investment has sold an office property with around 9,100 sq m of rental space in northern Helsinki. The eight-storey building, which includes an underground car park offering 150 spaces, is fully let to Skanska on a long-term lease. The buyer, Corum Asset Management, is seeking to boost its exposure to Finland.
Union Investment acquires two more commercial properties in Stuttgart Engineering Park
Union Investment has acquired two properties in the STEP Stuttgart Engineering Park. Completed in 2002, the STEP 4 infrastructure building offers around 7,000 sq m of rental space and is used for retail, restaurants and cafés and fitness facilities. STEP 8.3 is a six-storey office building with approximately 8,000 sq m of rental space which has only recently been completed.
Union Investment acquires Styria Center on Annenstrasse in Graz
Union Investment has agreed to acquire the Styria Center in Graz city centre. The building is a mixed-use property comprising residential, office and commercial units across a total of around 15,000 sq m of rental space. The vendor is a consortium of three private owners. The purchase price is approximately EUR 40 Million.
Joint Union Investment and ZBI residential fund adds properties worth around EUR 260 million
Open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Wohnen ZBI continues to grow. Following the successful acquisition of seven sub-portfolios comprising some 5,000 residential units in total, the fund’s assets under management have risen by EUR 258 million to EUR 781 million, with the one billion mark due to be reached later this year.
Investable hotel market in Germany grows to over EUR 52 billion
• Growth in traditional hotel segment and in new concepts – despite Airbnb
• Hotel market doubled in size over last ten years
• Eight per cent of hotel rooms changed hands in 2017
• Hotel market doubled in size over last ten years
• Eight per cent of hotel rooms changed hands in 2017
Union Investment acquires planned residential and commercial property in Vienna
Union Investment has acquired the planned EHK 107 residential and commercial property in Vienna via a forward funding deal. The scheme, named for its location at 105-107 Erzherzog-Karl-Strasse in Vienna’s 22nd district, will offer some 9,700 sq m of rental space.
Union Investment acquires planned logistics property in Rheinhessen region
Union Investment has acquired a logistics centre currently under construction and comprising 63,000 sq m of rental space in Monsheim near Worms, in Rhineland-Palatinate. Completion of the property is scheduled for the end of 2018.
Zebra Tower in Warsaw gains mBank as new tenant
Zebra Tower in Warsaw has gained another attractive tenant in mBank, the first fully Internet-based bank in Poland. The country’s fourth largest bank is set to occupy around 4,700 sq m of office space in Zebra Tower by 17 September at the latest.
Union Investment acquires planned student apartment complex THE FIZZ
Union Investment has secured the planned “THE FIZZ Vienna main station” micro apartment complex on Helmut Zilk Park for its Urban Living Nr. 1 special fund via a forward purchase agreement. The property will comprise over 195 apartments in one of Europe’s most popular university cities and is scheduled for completion in autumn 2019.
Union Investment sells Chinon Center in Hofheim am Taunus
Union Investment has sold the 14,800 sq m Chinon Center retail property in Hofheim am Taunus to Patrizia Immobilien AG. Completed in 2010, the complex includes a car park with 455 spaces across three levels and has been held by open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Europa since it was acquired in 2011.
Union Investment acquires Elements campus property in Mannheim
Union Investment has acquired the Elements campus property in Mannheim, comprising some 20,000 sq m of rental space. The property consists of seven building sections which were completed in two stages in 1994 and 2002. A total of 19 tenants from a variety of sectors contribute to the campus atmosphere of the site.
Union Investment acquires Park Inn by Radisson hotel in Krakow
Union Investment has acquired the Park Inn by Radisson Krakow, which opened in 2009. The transfer of rights and obligations with regard to the property is scheduled to take place by the end of May 2018. The 152-room hotel is located south of the Vistula river, close to the city centre and in the immediate vicinity of the modern ICE Congress Centre.
The Class of 2020 looks to the future at a conference in Hamburg
As part of a regional conference, The Class of 2020 will be discussing current opportunities and the latest strategies in the fields of co-working and micro-living at the Scandic Hotel Hamburg on 12 April 2018 from 2.00 pm. Union Investment is hosting the event and is one of the sponsors.
Union Investment acquires the Euro Alsace office building in Paris
Union Investment has acquired the Euro Alsace office building in Paris from Commerz Real. Located in the 10th arrondisse-ment close to Gare de l’Est station, the property has been held by Commerz Real’s closed-ended real estate fund CFB 165 since 2007. Union Investment acquired the office building for its institutional open-ended real estate fund UniInstitutional European Real Estate.
Union Investment acquires office property in Solna, Sweden from Fabege
Union Investment has acquired the U6 office property comprising approximately 18,000 sq m of rental space in Solna near Stockholm. The majority of the office space in the building, which was completed at the end of 2017, is let to Siemens.
Countdown to the PropTech Innovation Award
On 16 May, Union Investment and the German Tech Entrepreneurship Center (GTEC) will host the final of the PropTech Innovation Award 2018 in Berlin. Company founders and young entrepreneurs have until 15 March to enter this year’s round of the global technology competition.
Union Investment acquires lifestyle hotel The Porter
Union Investment has acquired the boutique and lifestyle hotel The Porter in Portland on the west coast of the US, which opened at the beginning of the year. Offering 294 rooms, the property is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton brand, a global portfolio of exceptional hotels for discerning travellers.
Union Investment acquires projected lifestyle hotel in Washington D.C.
Union Investment has agreed to acquire a Thompson-branded lifestyle hotel development in Washington D.C. The hotel will be built in Navy Yard, which is currently one of the most exciting urban development areas in the US.
Retail: Nuanced investment approach in a global upturn
The new Union Investment index analyses the attractiveness of the top 17 markets in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific.
Union Investment acquires flagship store in Manhattan, New York
Union Investment has acquired a 17,000 sf retail property in one of Manhattan’s most dynamic submarkets the Meatpacking District. The property at 412 West 14th Street is Toyota’s new experiential retail concept, “Intersect by Lexus”.
Klaus Bollmann joins Union Investment Institutional Property GmbH management team
Union Investment has paved the way for the planned further growth of its institutional investor business by appointing Klaus Bollmann to the management team of Union Investment Institutional Property GmbH.
Union Investment lets nearly 10,000 sq m of office space in Warsaw
Union Investment has let a total of 9,900 sq m of office space across three different commercial properties in Warsaw. The largest share, at approximately 7,700 sq m, is accounted for by the Horizon Plaza office building at Domaniewska 39 in the Mokotów district, near the airport.
Union Investment achieves exceptional letting results in 2017
• New lettings and relettings totalled 867,000 sq m
• 30 per cent increase compared to 2016
• Relettings accounted for approximately 77 per cent
• 30 per cent increase compared to 2016
• Relettings accounted for approximately 77 per cent
Investor survey: product shortage as an opportunity for innovation
• European investors do not expect turning point in cycle before 2020
• Subdued investment climate for office and retail space
• Logistics expected to see largest increase in value
• Climate risks still receive only limited attention
• Subdued investment climate for office and retail space
• Logistics expected to see largest increase in value
• Climate risks still receive only limited attention
Retail competition First Store by Alexa Vol. II
The Alexa shopping mall in Berlin is once again on the hunt for the most innovative store concepts: applications for participation in the retail competition First Store by Alexa Vol. II opens January 31, 2018. The winner will receive six months’ rent-free retail space in Alexa and two runners-up three months each.
Union Investment acquires retail property in Madrid
Union Investment has acquired a high street property from Thor Equities comprising some 1,320 sq m of rental space in one of Madrid’s main shopping streets. The long-term tenant occupying the entire property is the H&M Group, which has established a flagship store for its COS brand in the building.
Union Investment acquires Mitte Town Hall in Berlin
Union Investment has acquired Mitte Town Hall, which is let to the federal state of Berlin and located at 31 Karl-Marx-Allee. Offering some 20,000 sq m of space, the office property was built on the site of the former Berolina Hotel in 1998 and has since been used as a district town hall and administrative building.
Union Investment acquires two Holiday Inn hotels in Poland
Union Investment has secured the future Holiday Inn Gdansk City Centre hotel at an early stage by way of a forward purchase agreement and will also complete the acquisition of the 256-room Holiday Inn Warsaw City Centre on Ulica Twarda at the end of January 2018.
Annual results 2017: Union Investment sets milestones for growth in its real estate business
• Measured growth
• Balance between net inflow and transactions
• Acquisitions and sales totalling EUR 3.8 billion delivered
• Strong expansion of hotel portfolio
• Balance between net inflow and transactions
• Acquisitions and sales totalling EUR 3.8 billion delivered
• Strong expansion of hotel portfolio
Union Investment acquires logistics property in Hanover
Union Investment has acquired a logistics property to the east of Hanover. The property is let on long-term to online retailer Delticom and offers total rental space of 28,400 sq m.
2017
Union Investment posts strong growth in institutional real estate business
Union Investment achieved strong growth in its institutional real estate business in the year now ending. Compared to 2016, institutional investment assets in actively managed funds, Service KVG mandates and pooling vehicles rose by a total of 15 per cent (as at 30 November 2017).
Union Investment agrees extended lease with Amazon
Union Investment has extended the lease with Amazon for the 103,000 sq m Bad Hersfeld logistics facility by ten years, ahead of expiry. The logistics property has been part of the portfolio of institutional open-ended real estate fund UniInstitutional European Real Estate since 2009.
Union Investment sells office block in The Hague
Union Investment has sold the De Haagsche Zwaan office block to Capreon. The property offers some 18,500 sq m of rental space and is located in the Beatrix quarter of The Hague.
Union Investment seeks exposure to Poland’s strong purchasing power
Union Investment has expanded its successful Polish shopping centre portfolio by making its first investment of this kind in Wrocław. The latest addition is Magnolia Park, which comprises some 100,000 sq m of retail space.
Union Investment acquires logistics facility near Duisburg
Union Investment has acquired a newly constructed logistics facility in Kamp-Lintfort near Duisburg. The property was completed in November 2017 and is fully let to Berlin-based e-commerce company Chal-Tec.
Union Investment sells Millennium Tower in Seattle
Union Investment has sold Millennium Tower , a 18,708 sqm office building located in Seattle, Washington to a property fund managed by TH Real Estate. The property was part of Union Investment’s portfolio since 2003.
Union Investment lets refurbished office building in Paris to Iliad
French telecommunications provider Iliad has signed a nine-year lease for the entire 57M office building. The property, which is currently being refurbished, comprises 6,900 sqm of rental space.
Hotel industry: No faith in C locations. hospitalityInside INVESTMENT Barometer
Despite demand pressure on the German hotel market, C locations will not become the new B locations. The current INVESTMENT BAROMETER Autumn 2017 by hospitalityInside.com and Union Investment places clear emphasis on B Locations.
Union Investment and GTEC launch second annual PropTech Innovation Award
Partnership with RICS and MIPIM makes network even more attractive: Successful innovation is underpinned by vibrant, effective networks. The PropTech Innovation Award has created a new international network that allows young tech companies to access the innovation potential of the real estate sector.
Union Investment acquires office building in central London
Union Investment has acquired a nine-storey office building at 160 Aldersgate Street in London. The property offers 19,300 sq m of rental space and is located close to the popular submarket of Farringdon on the north-western side of the City of London.
Union Investment fills 80 per cent of Grand Central Saint-Lazare development in a single deal
Union Investment has agreed a 12-year lease covering 80 per cent of the space at a project currently still under development at Saint-Lazare railway station in Paris.
Union Investment invests in development of Alexa shopping centre in Berlin
New cluster concept creates themed worlds / Classic 1920s design highlighted for 10th anniversary / By autumn 2018, Union Investment will have invested some EUR 16 million in improvements to the shopping centre.
Union Investment/ZBI residential fund continues to grow
Residential real estate fund Unilmmo: Wohnen ZBI, launched jointly by Union Investment and ZBI, has successfully concluded the acquisition of a further 3,053 residential and commercial units, thereby adding properties worth around EUR 200 million to its holdings.
%20Architrave_2400x1350.jpg "Architrave Cockpit")
Union Investment acquires strategic investment in PropTech firm Architrave
Union Investment is the new co-owner of the Berlin-based PropTech firm Architrave. As part of a strategic partnership, Union Asset Management Holding AG, Frankfurt, Germany, has acquired a 13% minority stake in the company. Architrave is the market leader in intelligent real estate data management solutions.
Union Investment sells office portfolio at Brussels Airport
Union Investment has sold an office portfolio comprising five individual properties close to Brussels International Airport, which were held in its open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Europa. The five properties are located on Da Vincilaan in the Corporate Village business park and offer total rental space of approximately 64,000 sq m.
Union Investment acquires micro apartment complex in Graz for new special fund Urban Living Nr. 1
Union Investment is entering the growing micro-living segment. The Hamburg-based investment manager has acquired the Milestone Graz micro apartment complex for its new real estate special fund Urban Living Nr. 1. Consisting of 378 residential units, the property is let on a long-term lease to Milestone, one of the most experienced providers of private student accommodation in Austria.
Real estate investors in Europe see no rise in returns before 2019
• Further increase in focus on security in Germany and UK
• High prices for office and retail drive shift to alternative strategies
• Upbeat mood in France after Macron victory
• High prices for office and retail drive shift to alternative strategies
• Upbeat mood in France after Macron victory
New residential fund launched by Union Investment and ZBI gets under way with EUR 620 million
• First batch of acquisitions comprising 410 residential properties worth EUR 245 million transferred to fund
• Over 50 per cent of initial portfolio now in the fund
• Over 50 per cent of initial portfolio now in the fund
Union Investment sells an office property in Budapest to the Erste Real Estate Fund
Union Investment has sold the 18,000 m2 office property Krisztina Palace in Budapest. The property is situated in the Buda district, close to the major underground station Déli Pályaudvar, was acquired in 2008 as a development project and has been part of the portfolio of the open-end real estate fund Unilmmo: Global ever since. The property has been purchased by the Erste Open-Ended Real Estate Investment Fund.
Union Investment registers strong leasing balance in the first half of 2017
In the first half of 2017, Union Investment leased and re-leased a worldwide real estate area of around 264,000 m2. The largest share, at just under 112,000 m2, is in the European target markets outside Germany. On the German market, the Hamburg-based real estate investment management company registered leasing provisions for around 86,000 m2. The overseas market has contributed approximately 66,000 m2. Lease agreements were arranged in a total of 19 different countries.
The institutional hotel market hits the 50 billion mark
10 per cent of the market volume in Germany was traded in 2016: Union Investment and bulwiengesa have calculated the market volume of investable hotels in Germany again. According to their calculations, the market value of investable hotels in Germany increased by 8.3% to EUR 51 billion between 2015 and 2016.
Union Investment sells office building in Luxembourg
Union Investment has sold the Da Vinci office property in Findel Office Park at Luxembourg Airport to the British investor M&G Real Estate. 99% of the building at the address 4 Rue Lou Hemmer with a rental area of around 12,500 m2 is currently rented to nine different companies. As proof of sustainability, the building has BREEAM Very Good certification.
Union Investment and Investa acquire the technology and pharmaceutical hub Campus Konstanz
20 tenants in twelve buildings close to Switzerland: Union Investment and Investa have acquired the technology and pharmaceutical hub Campus Konstanz, which comprises twelve individual buildings. The area is part of the former premises of Altana Pharma AG and its subsidiary Byk Gulden. The acquisition took the form of an off-market transaction.
Union Investment acquires the campus property Loftwerk in Nuremberg
Union Investment has acquired the property Loftwerk in southern Nuremberg. Located at Ulmenstrasse 52 a-i in Nuremberg, this 27,000 sqm campus property is a listed factory building that used to belong to the shoe factory group Vereinigte Fränkische Schuhfabriken. It was built in 1920 and has been renovated and modernised numerous times over the years. The complex consists of four units that are currently fully occupied by 32 different businesses.
Union Investment acquires The Copyright Building in London’s West End
Union Investment has signed a contract to purchase The Copyright Building office complex located at 30 Berners Street in London. The seven-storey property comprises around 10,000 m2 of rental space and is situated in the fast-growing district of Fitzrovia. The office space is let in full for a fixed term of 20 years to Capita Business Services Limited, an IT service provider in the field of process Management.
Union Investment acquires Stockholm Hub office property
Union Investment has acquired the nine-storey Stockholm Hub office building, which offers a total rental area of 5,900 sq m. The fully let property was built in 1967 and fully refurbished in 2016. The acquisition is on behalf of open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Global. The vendor is Swedish investment manager Mengus.
Union Investment acquires Midtown21 office building in Seattle
Union Investment has acquired the Class A Midtown21 office building in Seattle. The impressive 21-storey property offers around 35,000 sq m of rental space and was completed in 2016. It is located in the high-growth Denny Triangle between the central business district and the South Lake Union submarket. The office space is let on a long-term lease to the world’s largest internet-based retailer.
Union Investment sells shopping centre in Spain
Union Investment has sold the Area Sur shopping centre in Jerez de la Frontera, which comprises around 47,000 sq m of rental space. The Hamburg-based real estate investment manager acquired the property in 2005 at the development stage and subsequently held it for almost twelve years in the portfolio of open-ended real estate fund UniImmo: Europa. The buyer is a joint venture between AXA IM - Real Assets, acting on behalf of its clients, and Sonae Sierra. The sale price is not disclosed. Cushman & Wakefield advised Union Investment on the Transaction.
Union Investment acquires TM50 commercial property in Nuremberg
Union Investment has acquired the TM50 commercial building in the south-east of Nuremberg for its UII German M special fund. The property offers rental space of around 40,600 sq m and comprises four separate buildings. In addition to 28,000 sq m of office space, there is over 5,000 sq m of retail space and nearly 3,000 sq m of space for storage. Another 4,600 sq m is devoted to other uses, including a day nursery and in-house restaurant.
Green City Solutions is the most innovative proptech startup in the world
Green City Solutions is the most innovative proptech startup in the world. The young company has been selected yesterday at the PropTech Award Ceremony in Berlin. The prize was awarded by Union Investment and the German Tech Entrepreneurship Center (GTEC). Its goal is to support startups that give new impulses to the real estate industry with their innovative ideas.
Union Investment Real Estate is reinforcing its activities in the North American retail markets
Union Investment Real Estate GmbH has reinforced its investment activities in the North American retail markets by hiring retail expert Kseniya Merritt. Ms. Merritt joined Union Investment’s team based in New York City on May 1st. Ms. Merritt will be in charge of expanding Union Investment’s existing retail portfolio in the U.S. as well as investigating market entry opportunities in Canada. In her retail capacity, Ksenyia Merritt reports to Henrike Waldburg, who is heading the company’s retail investment department based in Hamburg/Germany.
Nine international startups are nominated for world’s first PropTech Innovation Award Ceremony
• Union Investment and German Tech Entrepreneurship Center want to find the most innovative startups that have the potential to disrupt the real estate industry
• Over 200 applications from 46 countries
• Live pitches in front of audience and jury on May 17, 2017 in Berlin
• Over 200 applications from 46 countries
• Live pitches in front of audience and jury on May 17, 2017 in Berlin
Union Investment acquires The Triangle Building in Denver, Colorado
Union Investment announced today that it has acquired The Triangle Building in Denver, Colorado, from a controlled affiliate of Starwood Capital Group, a leading global private investment firm, and East West Partners, a Denver-based developer devoted to building, selling, managing and supporting high-quality real estate. The purchase price was approximately $154 million. The property will be added to the portfolio of open-ended retail real estate fund UniImmo: Global.
Union Investment acquires Mercado shopping centre in Nuremberg
Third shopping centre from Melody portfolio also added to holdings of Unilmmo: Europa. Located on Äußere Bayreuther Strasse and comprising 80 stores, Mercado is the leading shopping centre in northern Nuremberg. The property was opened in 2003 and completely refurbished and restructured between 2013 and 2016. Offering 43,500 sq m of rental space, the shopping centre currently attracts some five million customers a year.
Deal of the Decade: Union Investment wins award for Pegasus portfolio
On 26 April 2017, trade journal PropertyEU celebrated the Deal of the Decade Awards at a special gala dinner. Key decision-makers from across the European real estate industry came together at the Palace of Whitehall in central London to look back on the highlights of the period 2006 to 2016. Prizes were awarded in a total of twelve categories.
Union Investment acquires Le Befane shopping centre in Rimini
Property also previously held by CS EUROREAL: With its 129 retail units, Le Befane is the leading shopping centre in the Rimini region on Italy’s Adriatic coast. The property was opened in 2005 and welcomed some 8.6 million customers in 2016. Union Investment has acquired the shopping centre, which comprises approximately 35,500 sq m of retail space, for its open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Europa. Le Befane is the third of a total of four properties that make up the Melody sales portfolio, which Union Investment agreed to acquire in December 2016.
Piet Mondrian year: Union Investment supports city dressing project in The Hague
Union Investment acquires Rathaus-Galerie in Leverkusen
The Rathaus-Galerie shopping centre in Leverkusen, which opened in 2010 and offers around 36,300 sq m of retail space, has a new owner. Union Investment has acquired the centre from open-ended real estate fund CS EUROREAL, which is managed by CREDIT SUISSE ASSET MANAGEMENT Immobilien KAG. The transaction also includes an adjacent office and retail property comprising almost 2,200 sq m that is directly linked to Rathaus-Galerie. The nearly fully let properties are part of the Melody portfolio, for which Union Investment signed a purchase agreement in December 2016.
Announcing: the Winner of the “First Store by Alexa” Competition Cologne’s HOLYMESH
Alexa visitors and Facebook fans, along with an expert jury in a final session, evaluated three finalists from the “Best Newcomer” category. The clear winner: An online store with stylish clothing and accessory collections by Germany’s most successful social influencers that wanted to expand its business offline.
Union Investment sells office building in Tokyo
Union Investment has sold the 17,600 sq m Shiomi Koyama office building in eastern metropolitan Tokyo to Shimizu Corporation, a Japanese construction group. Constructed in 1995 and located in the Kōtō district, the building is fully let to financial services provider Daiko Clearing Services, and has been held for close to ten years by open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Global. The financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Union Investment taps into further destinations in the US hotel market
Union Investment has acquired the Hilton Garden Inn hotel in downtown Seattle, which opened in 2015, for approx. USD 90 million. The property is located at 1821 Boren Avenue and is the company’s first hotel acquisition on the West Coast of the US. The Hamburg-based real estate investment manager has already acquired three first-class hotels in Boston, Chicago and New York City since 2015. Touchstone, a Seattle-based company, developed the hotel, which opened in June 2015.
Union Investment acquires Maraton office building in Poznan from Skanska for EUR 62 million
Union Investment has acquired the Maraton office building, which was completed at the end of 2016, for its open-ended retail real estate fund UniImmo: Deutschland. Skanska Property Poland, an office developer, has thus sold one of the most prestigious office buildings in Poznan, Poland. This is the second sales transaction between Skanska and Union Investment in regional markets in the country following the sale of the Dominikanski office complex in Wroclaw, which is also held in the UniImmo: Deutschland Portfolio.
Union Investment invests in residential real estate specialist ZBI Zentral Boden Immobilien Group
Union Investment and ZBI Zentral Boden Immobilien AG have agreed to enter into a partnership. Union Asset Management Holding AG is acquiring 49.9 per cent of the shares in the newly formed partnership holding company (ZBI Partnerschafts-Holding GmbH), in which the business operations of the ZBI Group will be bundled. The contract was signed on 6 March. Provided the necessary official approvals are obtained, the equity investment is expected to become legally effective in the second quarter of 2017. The parties to the transaction have agreed not to disclose the purchase Price.
Union Investment acquires U7 office building in Stockholm
UniInstitutional European Real Estate re-enters Swedish market: Union Investment has acquired the Uarda 7 (U7) office building in the north of Stockholm, which offers approximately 17,400 sq m of space and is located in the fast-growing office submarket of Arenastaden. The vendor of the property is Swedish developer Fabege. The purchase price was approximately EUR 121 Million.
Union Investment Real Estate: Restructuring of investment activities under CIO Martin Brühl
• Philip La Pierre takes over investment management for Americas and Asia-Pacific
• Martin Schellein appointed head of investment for Europe
• Martin Schellein appointed head of investment for Europe
Union Investment reports successful letting performance for 2016
Union Investment posted strong letting figures in 2016, with a total of approximately 663,000 sq m of space being let or relet. This letting performance ensured that overall occupancy across all real estate funds, based on income, remained at an impressive 96.2 per cent.
immofonds 1 buys into retail park in Austria
Union Investment has acquired both of the two new build units at Hatric retail park in Hartberg, Styria, north-east of Graz, for its open-ended real estate fund immofonds 1, which is targeted at private investors in Austria. The property offers rental space of around 16,000 sq m as well as 590 parking spaces.
Union Investment hotels in Chicago and New York recognised with ALIS Awards
Two hotel properties in the US belonging to real estate funds managed by Union Investment have both picked up prizes. The coveted ALIS Awards were conferred on Tuesday at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) in Los Angeles, going to the Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center in New York in the category "Development of the Year 2016" and to LondonHouse Chicago in the category "Single Asset Transaction of the Year 2016."
Union Investment acquires Grand Central Saint-Lazare project in Paris developed by The Carlyle Group
On 24 January, Union Investment acquired the speculative Grand Central development project at Saint-Lazare railway station in the centre of Paris. The innovative project comprises a new business centre on Rue de Londres and Rue d’Amsterdam with rental space of around 23,600 sq m. The target for practical completion is mid-2019.
European real estate investors prepare for extended market cycle
• Growing acceptance of lower real estate returns
• Investor sentiment down sharply in UK
• Renewed confidence in French real estate market
• Investor sentiment down sharply in UK
• Renewed confidence in French real estate market
Union Investment and Hilton agree on contract renewal and major renovation in Munich
Union Investment, owners of Hilton Munich City, today announced plans for the refurbishment of the hotel. The announcement follows news that Hilton has made a long-term commitment to the location of its flagship Munich City Hotel.
Union Investment accelerates global real estate investment
• US markets account for around 35 per cent of acquisition volume in 2016
• Hotels and shopping centres contribute to strong growth outside Europe
• Fund assets rise to EUR 32 billion
• Hotels and shopping centres contribute to strong growth outside Europe
• Fund assets rise to EUR 32 billion
Union Investment acquires office block in Düsseldorf
Union Investment has acquired the Global Gate III office building in Düsseldorf. Built in 2005, the property is located at Grafenberger Allee 297 in the east of the city. The fully let building offers 11,100 sq m of office space across ten floors and has an underground car park with 143 spaces. It will be added to the portfolio of open-ended real estate fund immofonds 1, which is targeted at private investors in Austria.
Union Investment acquires StadtCenter Düren shopping centre comprising 17,800 sq m of rental space
54 retail units in city centre location / 4.8 million visitors a year: Union Investment has acquired the StadtCenter Düren shopping centre, which is home to 54 retailers and food outlets across some 17,800 sq m of rental space. The two-storey centre enjoys an inner-city location and also includes a parking deck with 311 spaces.
2016
Union Investment expands presence in US hotel market
Union Investment continues to invest actively in the US. Following its first hotel acquisitions in Boston and Chicago, the Hamburg-based real estate investment manager has now entered the New York City hotel market. In a deal worth in excess of 200 million USD, Union Investment has secured the Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center for its open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Global.
Union Investment sells Menara AIA Cap Square office building in Kuala Lumpur
Union Investment has sold the 41-storey Menara AIA Cap Square office building in Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Kuala Lumpur, which has a net lettable area of 601,796 sq ft and 474 car parking spaces. The new owner is Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (Diperbadankan) (KWAP), the second largest Malaysian pension fund. JLL advised Union Investment on the Transaction.
Union Investment’s institutional real estate business continues to grow
Union Investment’s institutional real estate business continued to make good progress in 2016. Overall, institutional assets under management grew by EUR 670 million in the course of the year. With investment assets of EUR 7.9 billion in total as at 30 November 2016, Union Investment confirmed its leading position as a provider of open-ended real estate funds for institutional investors.
Union Investment acquires new Morphosys AG headquarters building in Planegg near Munich
First acquisition for new special fund UII German M: Union Investment has purchased a 14,000 sq m office building at Semmelweisstraße 7 in Planegg, near Munich. Completed in 2014, the property is fully let to Morphosys AG, having recently become the biotech company’s new headquarters. Planegg is one of Germany’s top biotechnology locations. The vendor of the building is LIP Ludger Inholte Projektentwicklungs GmbH.
Jörn Stobbe to join Management Board of Union Investment Real Estate GmbH as COO
As of 1 February 2017, Jörn Stobbe will join the Management Board of Union Investment Real Estate GmbH and take on the role of Chief Operating Officer. A trained lawyer and qualified real estate professional, the 50-year-old has many years’ experience in the property industry, including as partner at Clifford Chance.
Hotel industry: Willingness to take risk and caution are balanced
Opportunities and risks are spread broadly in the hotel industry. Whilst the digitalisation megatrend is clearly viewed as an opportunity, on the investment side, the sector currently shows itself to be quite ambivalent. The overall mood in the sector is meanwhile stuck around cautious optimism. These were the findings of the hotel trade magazine HospitalityInside and Union Investment in their current Hotel INVESTMENT BAROMETER Autumn 2016
Office project QBC 3 sold for around EUR 30 mn to Union Investment in a forward deal
UBM Development AG and S IMMO AG have closed a forward deal already in the development phase for the third lot of Quartier Belvedere Central – QBC 3 – with Union Investment. Completion and handover is planned for autumn 2017.
UBM sells Vienna standing asset Doppio Offices for approximately EUR 20 mn to Union Investment
The sale of the office property Doppio Offices in Vienna, which was developed by UBM, is now finalised. The standing asset has been acquired by the property investment manager Union Investment for its in Austria distributed open real estate fund immofonds 1. Doppio Offices has an ideal location close to Vienna’s city centre in the third district, in the urban development area “Neu Marx”.
Union Investment acquires two more office properties in the Überseestadt district of Bremen
Union Investment is expanding its portfolio in the Überseestadt district of Bremen. The Hamburg-based real estate investment manager has acquired two adjacent properties, WQ 1 and Haus am Fluss, in Bremen's most attractive office sub-market. Together the properties offer approximately 11,500 sq m of rental space, and are both fully let.
Union Investment successfully completes repositioning of STEP 6 in Stuttgart
23,000 sq m of office space quickly re-let / Switch to multi-tenant property: Union Investment has exploited strong demand in the Stuttgart office market to reposition STEP 6 as a multi-tenant property. The building offers 32,700 sq m of rental space and 907 parking spaces.
Innovation in the real estate industry: international PropTech Innovation Award launched
Union Investment and GTEC to recognise the best startup ideas for the real estate world of tomorrow: Digital technologies are set to boost innovation in the real estate industry, from enabling customer-oriented solutions to new products and more efficient processes. The PropTech Innovation Award, initiated by Union Investment and the Berlin-based German Tech Entrepreneurship Center (GTEC), is aimed at supporting these exciting developments.
Union Investment records strong lettings quarter with emphasis on Germany
Union Investment continued to see strong letting performance in the third quarter of 2016, with worldwide lettings and relettings totalling approximately 161,000 sq m. The German market features most prominently in the results, accounting for around 97,000 sq m or some 60 per Cent.
Union Investment achieves three letting successes in the Düsseldorf area
Union Investment has signed three leases covering 4,700 sq m of office space in the Düsseldorf area. These include two new lettings and the extension of a current lease by ten years.
Union Investment sells Santa Fe III office property in Mexico City
Union Investment has sold the Santa Fe III office building in Mexico City to Grupo Metta, one of the largest property developers in Mexico. Located in the western submarket of the Mexican capital, the complex offers around 19,200 sq m of rental space. The property was built in 1995 and includes 680 parking spaces. Since its acquisition by Union Investment in 2006, it has been held in the open-ended retail real estate fund UniImmo: Europa.
Union Investment acquires Super 8 hotel in Munich
Ninth property for institutional fund UII Hotel Nr. 1: Union Investment has further expanded its hotel portfolio in Munich by acquiring a Super 8 hotel immediately after completion. The property offers 197 rooms, 68 parking spaces, a total area of around 6,000 sq m and is located on Frankfurter Ring in the Schwabing-Freimann district of the City.
Union Investment purchases 49% stake in four U.S. retail properties, forming a joint venture with TH Real Estate
Properties located in prime urban shopping locations in New York, San Francisco and Philadelphia: Union Investment is further diversifying its international real estate portfolio by making its first investments in U.S. urban retail via a joint venture with TH Real Estate (a division of TIAA Global Asset Management). Union Investment is acquiring a 49 per cent stake in four high street properties with a total area of 113,500 sq ft for its open-ended real estate fund Unimmo: Global.
Union Investment infrastructure fund reaches target size of EUR 320 million
New acquisition in Ireland increases portfolio to nine wind farms and solar parks with total output of approximately 150 MW: Union Investment has now fully reached the investment target for its infrastructure fund UniInstitutional Infrastruktur SICAV-SIF, launched in 2012. Carrowleagh Wind Farm on Ireland’s Atlantic coast is the final major investment for the Union Investment fund, which is invested exclusively in plants for generating renewable energy.
Union Investment fully lets Westpol office property in Frankfurt to three tenants
Around 2,700 sq m of office space relet almost immediately: Union Investment has achieved its second major letting success within a matter of weeks in the Frankfurt office market. The Westpol building at Niedenau 61-63 in the prestigious office sub-market of Frankfurt-Westend has attracted three new tenants for the approximately 2,700 sq m of space in the property, less than a month after a firm of tax advisors and lawyers moved out.
Union Investment plants another marker in the Sunbelt
Office property in Atlanta attracts technology and finance companies: Union Investment continues to add to its US holdings by acquiring the approximately 420,000 sq ft office property Ten 10th Street in Atlanta. This purchase boosts the US share of the company’s open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Global, which now stands at approximately 30 percent and is set to increase further. The property is located in the dynamic Midtown submarket of Atlanta.
Union Investment and UBS agree first green lease in Luxembourg
Union Investment and its tenant UBS (Luxembourg) S.A. have signed a green lease for 2,280 sq m of office space in the K2 Dolce property at Kirchberg in Luxembourg. The contract largely follows the recommended clauses and actions for sustainable building use developed by Union Investment and five other real estate companies and published in 2015 under the title “Green Lease Agreements”.
Walking the tightrope
Union Investment acquires 2000 McKinney Avenue in the Uptown district of Dallas, Texas
Acquisitions in the US year to date reach almost USD 1 billion Union Investment has purchased 2000 McKinney Avenue, a 20-storey office property offering around 448.000 square feet of space, located in the dynamic Uptown district of Dallas for its open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Global. Constructed in 2008, the 2000 McKinney building fronts Klyde Warren Park and is 98 percent let. The largest tenants include Texas Capital Bank, which occupies 31.5 percent of the space, and the global law firm Dentons. Overall the property is let to a broad mix of financial and legal tenants and other service providers.
Union Investment acquires 54,000 sq m campus property in Fürth, Bavaria for newly established special fund
38 tenants in seven buildings / First transaction for Urban Campus Nr. 1 fund: Union Investment has acquired Uferstadt Fürth, a 54,000 sq m campus property comprising seven different buildings that occupy part of the former headquarters site of Grundig. Located on the banks of the river Pegnitz, the buildings mainly consist of office space and are well served by local amenities and a wide range of restaurants and cafés.The vendor of Uferstadt Fürth is Pegnitz Park Holding GmbH, a subsidiary of Investa Holding GmbH. The property has been successfully updated in recent years by Investa Asset Management (IAM) and is fully let.The property will continue to be managed by Investa Asset Management (IAM) via a local presence.
Union Investment achieves full occupancy for 59,000 sq m Emporio office building in Hamburg
E-commerce developer takes 3,200 sq m of space over two floors With a height of around 100 metres, Emporio is a prestigious 1960s office building that has been updated multiple times and is one of Hamburg's most prominent landmarks, dominating the cityscape around Dammtorwall. Owner Union Investment has recently achieved full occupancy for the 59,000 sq m, 23-storey property, which belongs to the portfolio of open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Deutschland. Young technology and software company eSailors IT solutions GmbH of Hamburg is scheduled to move into the 15th and 20th storeys in April 2017.
Union Investment fully lets Theo 106 office property in Frankfurt to financial institution
Around 10,600 sq m of office space over seven storeys let on long-term lease: Since its completion in 2002, Theo 106, named after its location on Theodor-Heuss-Allee in Frankfurt, has been among the most elegant office buildings in the City West district. After ING Diba vacated the building in 2013, owner Union Investment has succeeded in fully letting the property on a long-term basis to a well-known financial institution. The lease commences on 1 August 2016 and will run for an initial period of ten years. BNP Paribas Real Estate brokered the agreement between the two parties.
Union Investment scores letting successes in Europe and America
New lettings and relettings in second quarter of 2016 total 135,500 sq m of space: In the second quarter of 2016, Union Investment’s letting activity was dominated by international lease signings. Around 84 per cent of the 135,500 sq m of new lettings and relettings were located outside Germany. Twelve European countries accounted for 88,700 sq m, while five non-European markets contributed approximately 25,100 sq m. In Germany, Union Investment let or relet some 21,600 sq m of space during the period from March to June.
Union Investment acquires Holiday Inn Hotel City Nord in Hamburg
Second forward purchase of a Holiday Inn hotel in Hamburg within a month: investment in the tallest building in City Nord district: Union Investment has secured the new Holiday Inn Hotel City Nord, which is currently still in the development phase, for its institutional real estate fund UII Hotel Nr. 1. The 4-star hotel will have around 300 rooms across 18 floors. The purchase price was not disclosed. The vendor and developer of the property is the Hamburg-based TAS Group. The transfer of ownership is expected to take place in the second quarter of 2017. Engel & Völkers Commercial Hamburg advised on the transaction.
Union Investment and Investa Immobiliengruppe set up German special fund to focus on pioneering campus properties
Fund concept picks up on changing trend in work and office environments Union Investment and Investa Capital Management (ICM) have agreed to work closely together on designing and launching innovative real estate solutions for institutional investors. The first fund concept to be developed underlines the joint commitment of the two property specialists. Urban Campus Nr. 1 is the first special AIF in Germany that gives professional investors the opportunity to invest in pioneering working and office structures. The investment focus of the thematic fund is on campus properties, i.e. office buildings that feature flexible space concepts and address sharing and co-working trends, as well as providing a high quality urban environment.
Union Investment acquires Hamburg office/commercial building Herrengraben 30/31
Union Investment has acquired the Herrengraben 30/31 office and commercial building located between downtown Hamburg and HafenCity for its institutional real estate fund UniInstitutional German Real Estate. The vendor is Cogiton Projekt Neustadt GmbH, an owner-managed property development and investor company based in Hamburg. The purchase price was not disclosed. Built in 1993, the property offers 6,520 sq m of rental space and was completely refurbished by Cogiton, with the work being completed in mid-2016.
Union Investment acquires Holiday Inn hotel development in Hamburg’s HafenCity from ECE Projektmanagement
Union Investment has secured the Holiday Inn hotel development in Hamburg’s HafenCity, directly opposite the university, for its UniInstitutional German Real Estate fund. The vendor and developer of the hotel is ECE Projektmanagement G.m.b.H. & Co. KG. The turnkey purchase is subject to the standard closing conditions for this type of real estate transaction and will take effect on completion of the hotel in 2018.
How big is the institutional hotel market?
Union Investment acquires new office building First Rotterdam for institutional fund
Union Investment has reinvested some of the proceeds from the Aqua portfolio sale in Rotterdam on behalf of its institutional real estate fund UniInstitutional Real Estate. After selling the Las Palmas office building, its only property in Rotterdam, in January 2016 as part of the Aqua portfolio, Union Investment has now re-entered the Dutch core market by acquiring the First Rotterdam development project for the fund. Union Investment secured the First Rotterdam office tower at an early stage by way of forward funding
Union Investment focuses international investment on Mexico City
Fully let office building in sought-after sub-market Polanco acquired for Unilmmo: Global - Union Investment continues to expand its international real estate fund portfolio in the Americas. The company has acquired the Corporativo Dos Patios office building in Mexico City for its open ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Global. The building was completed in 2012 and is fully let. This investment marks Union Investment’s first acquisition in Latin America since 2008.
Investment Barometer: Sentiment on hotel markets dampens
hospitalityInside INVESTMENT BAROMETER spring 2016:
• Return expectation mixed
• London and Munich are the outperformers - Sentiment on the hotel investment market has dampened in spring 2016 - nevertheless, the market assessment remains positive overall and at a high level. Those surveyed painted a mixed picture when asked about returns and locations. These were the findings from the hospitalityInside INVESTMENT BAROMETER spring 2016.
• Return expectation mixed
• London and Munich are the outperformers - Sentiment on the hotel investment market has dampened in spring 2016 - nevertheless, the market assessment remains positive overall and at a high level. Those surveyed painted a mixed picture when asked about returns and locations. These were the findings from the hospitalityInside INVESTMENT BAROMETER spring 2016.
Union Investment acquires four-star hotel by Spanish brand Meliá in Aachen
Following the acquisition of the Meliá Berlin, Union Investment has secured another high-yield hotel property by Spanish hotel brand Meliá for one of its institutional real estate funds. The developer and seller of the Innside by Meliá Aachen is HPG Hotel Aachen GmbH & Co. KG, a limited partnership, one half of which is owned by HPG Property Group and the other half by Cebus GmbH & Co. KG. The purchase price was not disclosed. The new-build hotel, which is scheduled for completion in mid-2016, is fully let on a 20-year lease to Sol Meliá Deutschland GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Meliá Hotels International group.
Union Investment retail property fund acquires shopping centre in Poland
UII Shopping Nr. 1 now fully invested with eight properties worth around EUR 526 million: Union Investment has acquired Ferio Konin, the market-leading shopping centre in the central Polish city of Konin, which has a catchment area of around 360,000 people. This is the eighth property acquisition for the institutional thematic fund UII Shopping Nr. 1 since it was launched in 2011. The open-ended special real estate fund is now fully invested, with total assets worth around EUR 526 Million.
Union Investment expands property portfolio in Boston
Office newly built in booming Seaport district acquired from Skanska for USD 452 million Since its acquisition of The Godfrey Hotel in Boston, the company’s first ever hotel purchase in the States, Union Investment has felt particularly at home in New England. The Hamburg-based real estate investment manager has now acquired its second office property in Boston for approximately USD 452 million. Developed by Skanska and only completed at the end of last year, the office newly built at 101 Seaport Boulevard will join the portfolio of open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Europa.
Union Investment acquires development of the “XYZ Building” in Manchester
Grade A office building is 95 % pre-let / Second investment for Union Investment in Manchester / Going for growth: Union Investment has purchased the development of the “XYZ Building” in Manchester which is due to complete in August 2016 for its open-ended real estate fund UniInstitutional European Real Estate. Union Investment is acquiring the property in a forward funding and off-market transaction from the renowned developer Allied London Properties Ltd. The purchase price is not disclosed.
Union Investment Real Estate notches up new success in Berlin hotel market
Four-star superior hotel on Friedrichstrasse operated by Spanish brand Meliá acquired for special fund Union Investment has secured another high-yield hotel property in Berlin. This is the third purchase of an established branded hotel in the German capital within six months, following the acquisition of andel’s conference hotel and the Hampton by Hilton planned for a site close to Alexanderplatz. As part of an off-market transaction, Union Investment has acquired the Meliá Berlin from Grundstücksverwaltungsgesellschaft Am Weidendamm Berlin-Mitte mbH.
Union Investment fund acquires Vattenfall headquarters in Stockholm
Largest Scandinavian transaction to date for Union Investment: Union Investment is returning to the Swedish office real estate market with a top investment. The Hamburg-based investment manager has purchased a fully let office property in the Stockholm office submarket of Arenastaden for its open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Deutschland. The office space comprises 97 per cent of the total rental area of 44,000 sq m and is fully let on a long-term basis to state-owned energy provider Vattenfall, which has its global corporate headquarters in the building. Union Investment is acquiring the property from Swedish developer Fabege AB for approximately EUR 244 Million.
No turning point in sight yet: European real estate investors remain bullish
• More higher-risk portfolios coming onto the market
• Only Germany experiencing further improvement in investment climate Investors are facing an ever growing number of unknowns in the real estate market. Yet even in this advanced stage of the property market cycle, European property professionals are not exercising greater restraint. On the contrary, compared with the prior year even more investors are primarily motivated by returns. The increased appetite for risk is being driven by the continuing search for returns and a market environment that shows only very muted signs of a change ahead. Those are the findings of the latest property investment climate study carried out by Union Investment twice a year, which this time involved a representative survey of 171 professional property investors in Germany, France and the UK.
• Only Germany experiencing further improvement in investment climate Investors are facing an ever growing number of unknowns in the real estate market. Yet even in this advanced stage of the property market cycle, European property professionals are not exercising greater restraint. On the contrary, compared with the prior year even more investors are primarily motivated by returns. The increased appetite for risk is being driven by the continuing search for returns and a market environment that shows only very muted signs of a change ahead. Those are the findings of the latest property investment climate study carried out by Union Investment twice a year, which this time involved a representative survey of 171 professional property investors in Germany, France and the UK.
Union Investment lifts worldwide letting performance by more than 40 per cent
Total of 834,220 sq m of rental space let in 2015 – Strong performance in fourth quarter: Union Investment can look back on a very successful 2015 in terms of global lettings. A buoyant fourth quarter with take-up of approximately 284,000 sq m of space made a particularly strong contribution to the above-average result. New lettings, renewals and relettings across all countries and use types totalled 834,220 sq m in 2015.
Union Investment hires Matthew Scholl to develop real estate investment business in America
Medium-term target allocation of approximately USD 2 billion / Investment to be focused on US markets and Mexico City Union Investment Real Estate GmbH is strengthening its market presence in America. The Hamburg-based property investment manager has hired Matthew Scholl (37), a recognised transaction expert with many years of US property market experience. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, as head of Investment Management Americas Scholl will be responsible for strategic development of the real estate portfolio in the American markets from 1 February 2016, working out of the New York Office.
Union Investment sells Äppelallee-Center in Wiesbaden to Pradera fund
After a five-year holding period, Union Investment has sold the Äppelallee-Center retail property owned by its open-ended real estate fund UniImmo: Deutschland. The property was acquired for the Pradera Open-Ended Retail Fund, an open-ended special AIF which is administered by IntReal as a real estate Service KVG. The sale price is approximately EUR 82 Million.
EUR 1 billion Aqua portfolio deal successfully completed by Union Investment and Amundi
Final tranche comprising five properties in Austria and Finland transferred to Amundi: The Aqua real estate deal was successfully completed at the beginning of this year. In the last of a total of three tranches, the rights and obligations relating to the floridotower and Solaris office properties in Vienna and to three office properties in Helsinki – Alberga A, Alberga C and Duetto – were transferred to the buyer, Amundi Real Estate. The Westferry Circus office property in London was transferred in December and formed the second Tranche.
Union Investment enjoys record year for hotel investments
Seven hotel transactions completed worth EUR 500 million: Union Investment Real Estate GmbH can look back on a record year for hotel investments. The Hamburg-based property investment manager was one of Europe’s top purchasers in the hotel asset class in 2015, with six acquisitions and one sale representing a total transaction value of EUR 500 million. The new acquisitions for the company's retail and special funds range from the Holiday Inn in Warsaw and andel’s conference hotel in Berlin to the Godfrey Hotel in Boston, Union Investment’s first ever hotel acquisition in the US.
Union Investment adds to shopping centre fund in the Netherlands
Union Investment sees strong growth of international real estate business
- Acquisitions outside Europe total EUR 1.1 billion - Total transaction volume reaches record high of EUR 5 billion - Assets under management in the real estate segment rise by almost 10 per cent to EUR 28.5 billion In 2015, Union Investment Real Estate GmbH invested a record amount outside Europe. Six property purchases in Australia and the US with a total value of around EUR 1.1 billion highlight Union Investment's pursuit of dynamic growth and international expansion in what remains a highly competitive environment. With total acquisitions amounting to EUR 3.5 billion (2014: EUR 2.5 billion), for the first time over 30 per cent of new purchases were in overseas markets. The investments were focused on the US and Australia, in markets such as Houston, Boston, San Francisco and Sydney, and were made possible by continued strong cash inflows into the funds.
Union Investment veUnion Investment sells Madrid office building to AEW Europe rkauft Bürogebäude in Madrid
Sales profit to be reinvested in Spain: After a holding period of twelve years Union Investment Real Estate GmbH, Hamburg, has sold Edificio Amura, an 18,178 sqm office building on the outskirts of Madrid, for approximately €37 million. The asset has been acquired by AEW Europe on behalf of the Europe Value Investors fund (EVI). The asset is located 13 km north of Madrid’s CBD in Alcobendas. The building is currently 67 % let to seven tenants
2015
Union Investment sells Tamayo 100 office building in Monterrey, Mexico
New investment to be focused on Mexico City as principal market: Union Investment Real Estate GmbH has sold the Tamayo 100 office building in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey to local investor Fibra Monterrey for around USD 26.7 million. The building offers total rental space of 8,135 sq m and was acquired by Union Investment in 2005 shortly after completion for its open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Global.
Union Investment extends US exposure with acquisition of Amazon Phase VI building in Seattle
Union Investment is adding to its real estate portfolio in Seattle. The Hamburg-based real estate investment manager has acquired the Amazon Phase VI building for around USD 299 million. The property is almost fully let on a 15-year lease. Only completed in 2014, the building comprises some 395,000 sq feet of rental space and was purchased for open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Europa.
Union Investment acquires first hotel in USA, The Godfrey Hotel Boston
A joint venture of Oxford Capital Group, LLC and an affiliate of Walton Street Capital, L.L.C (”Walton Street”) today announces the sale lease/management back to Germany’s Union Investment Real Estate of The Godfrey Hotel Boston. The Godfrey Hotel Boston is a 242-room high design, lifestyle hotel strategically located in the city’s rapidly growing Downtown Crossing neighborhood scheduled to open in January 2016.
Board restructuring at Union Investment Real Estate GmbH strengthens management of international business
Martin Brühl promoted to board of Hamburg-based real estate investment manager: Due to the departure of Dr. Heiko Beck from the Union Investment Real Estate GmbH management team, the Hamburg-based real estate investment manager is restructuring its senior leadership with effect from 1 January 2016. The new set-up is designed to create a clearer distinction between management oversight and operational market areas, as well as further deepening the strategic focus on the company’s growing international Business.
Hotel sentiment at all-time high
- hospitalityInside INVESTMENT BAROMETER for the first time above 4,000 mark - Willingness of hotel investors to take risk increases The hotel real estate sector has never been as euphoric as this autumn. Since the introduction of the "hospitalityInside INVESTENT BAROMETER" in autumn 2013, the Business, Development, Expectation and Operation index has known just one trend: upwards. Each attack of pessimism has been overcome. The strongest driver is hotel development.
Union Investment acquires Holiday Inn Warsaw – City Centre from UBM
Union Investment has secured the Holiday Inn Warsaw – City Centre development project for its open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Deutschland. A corresponding forward purchase agreement was signed yesterday in Warsaw. The turnkey purchase is subject to the standard closing conditions for this type of real estate transaction and will take effect on completion of the hotel in 2018.
Union Investment successfully completes sale of main tranche of Aqua portfolio
Transfer of the largest of three tranches with 11 properties / Completion of overall transaction scheduled for January 2016: Union Investment and Amundi Real Estate have taken an important step towards completing the approximately EUR 1 billion Aqua portfolio deal. The first tranche of buildings, comprising 11 office properties with total rental space of 190,000 sq m, was transferred to Amundi. The properties are located in Germany, France, the UK and the Netherlands.
Strong sustainability performance by Union Investment’s open-ended real estate funds
GRESB ranks all funds as Green Stars: Union Investment's open-ended real estate funds demonstrate a consistently high level of sustainability. In the latest GRESB assessment, all six of the participating real estate funds for private and institutional investors were classified as Green Stars.
Berlin property added to Union Investment’s institutional hotel fund
Hampton by Hilton Alexanderplatz project secured for UII Hotel Nr. 1: Union Investment has secured the planned three-star superior Hampton by Hilton hotel in Berlin-Mitte for its institutional hotel fund UII Hotel Nr. 1. A long-term lease with Primestar is in place for the 344-room hotel. The acquisition of this new build means that two years after launch the UII Hotel Nr. 1 fund portfolio has now grown to seven properties in Germany and Austria.
Union Investment makes successful acquisitions and disposals for institutional real estate funds
Transactions worth around EUR 1.1 billion in year to date: Union Investment's institutional real estate funds are making good progress on the acquisitions front. Ten properties have been added to the portfolios of the company’s real estate funds for institutional investors since the start of the year, representing an investment volume of around EUR 807 Million.
Union Investment increases real estate exposure in Australia
Following on from Brisbane, 155 Clarence Street marks the company's first office investment in Sydney Union Investment Real Estate GmbH is expanding its international investment activity in the Asia-Pacific region. With its second property acquisition down under in 16 months, the company is tapping into one of the most attractive property markets in the region. The Hamburg-based real estate investment manager has acquired 155 Clarence Street in Sydney for a purchase price of around AUD 120 million.
Investor survey: Searching for returns: real estate investors take profits
- International pressure to invest opens up selling opportunities
- Trend towards higher risk and cross-border investments
- Investment Climate Index climbs in Germany, France and the UK
- Trend towards higher risk and cross-border investments
- Investment Climate Index climbs in Germany, France and the UK
Union Investment focuses on dominant shopping centres in mid-sized Polish towns
Riviera in Gdynia acquired for institutional real estate fund Union Investment has acquired another regionally dominant shopping centre in Poland by purchasing the Riviera centre. Comprising some 230 stores across 70,540 sq m of rental space, the shopping centre was completed in 2011 and expanded and reopened in 2014. It is the largest shopping destination in the so-called “tri-city” of Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot. Union Investment is acquiring the almost fully let shopping centre in Gdynia from a subsidiary of French company Foncière Euris.
Union Investment sells Marriott Hotel Hamburg to UK & European for EUR 65 million
Growing demand for hotel investments used to reduce age of portfolio More than ten years after it was acquired by Union Investment, the Marriott Hotel, located close to Hamburg's prestigious Jungfernstieg boulevard, has changed owners. Union Investment has sold the luxury hotel for approximately EUR 65 million to international investment and property development company UK & European Investments Limited. The complex comprises a 270-room and 8-suite hotel; four retail units and a 128-space public parking garage and was purchased by Union Investment in 2004 for its open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Deutschland.
Union Investment leases Pullman Berlin Schweizerhof to ValueState Hotels for 20 years
French operator entering German hotel market for first time / Hotel retains the AccorHotels Pullman brand On paper, it’s a sandwich structure; in practice, it's an innovative three-party business relationship that delivers stable long-term rental income for open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Europa. Owner Union Investment Real Estate GmbH has signed a new 20-year lease with an option to extend for its five-star Pullman Berlin Schweizerhof hotel on Budapester Straße, which has been part of the EUR 10 billion Europa fund since 1999. The new tenant is French operating company ValueState Hotels, which currently manages a portfolio of some 1,500 hotel rooms in Europe.
Union Investment enters Silicon Valley
Fully let office complex in Menlo Park acquired for USD 62 million: Union Investment Real Estate GmbH is continuing to increase the international exposure of its openended real estate funds. The Hamburg-based property investment manager has acquired the fully let office property at 4085 Campbell Avenue, Menlo Park in Silicon Valley, California. The property will be added to the portfolio of Unilmmo: Global.
Union Investment sells pan-European real estate portfolio to Amundi Immobilier
Package comprising 17 properties in 6 countries: One of the largest portfolio transactions of the year is nearing completion with the signing of the purchase agreement for the Aqua property package. French company Amundi Immobilier is acquiring the EUR 1 billion Aqua portfolio from Union Investment Real Estate GmbH.
Union Investment acquires Radisson Blu hotel in Wroclaw from UBM
The Radisson Blu hotel in Wroclaw, developed by UBM Development AG and completed in 2002, has a new owner. Union Investment has secured the established five-star hotel in the centre of Wroclaw for its UniInstitutional European Real Estate fund. The purchase price was not disclosed. This is Union Investment’s second property purchase in Wroclaw within the past eight months.
Union Investment acquires conference hotel andel's Berlin from UBM and Warimpex
Union Investment Real Estate GmbH has acquired the four-star andel's Berlin, thereby adding to its hotel portfolio in the German capital. The vendor is a property company belonging to Warimpex Finanz- und Beteiligungs AG and UBM Development AG. Completion is scheduled for the third quarter of 2015. The agreed purchase price is approximately EUR 105 million.Completed in 2009, the 557-room conference hotel is located in the Prenzlauer Berg district of Berlin directly opposite the Velodrom sports arena, and will join the portfolio of open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Deutschland.
Union Investment commits to fund the development of prime office building, Burlington House, in Dublin
Union Investment announces that it has committed to forward fund the development of Burlington House, the largest new speculative prime office building in Dublin city centre. Burlington House will deliver 15,992 sq m (172,000 sq. ft.) of net office space.
Fund property granted World Heritage status: Hamburg's Chilehaus building recognised by UNESCO
It has been on Germany's Tentative List for UNESCO World Heritage Site status for many years. Since Sunday, the Chilehaus building in Hamburg has now been officially recognised. Together with the Kontorhaus district and Speicherstadt warehouse district, the iconic office building was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site – the first of its kind in Hamburg.
Union Investment lets approx. 6,500 sq m in Corporate Village office ensemble in Brussels
Union Investment has agreed three leases covering some 6,500 sq m in the Corporate Village office ensemble at Brussels Zaventem airport. Sony, the long-standing anchor tenant in the Davos building, which comprises approximately 12,667 sq m of office space, extended the existing lease on its 4,050 sq m for three years.
Union Investment sells business park portfolio to Aurelis
First portfolio purchase by Aurelis comprising a total of around 104,000 sq m of rental space – Union Investment leverages continued strong demand to reduce the average age of its portfolio Aurelis Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG has acquired four business parks from Union Investment in Düsseldorf, Cologne, Liederbach (Frankfurt/Main) and Wiesbaden with total rental space of around 104,000 sq m. Details of the purchase price were not disclosed. The buildings at the four locations were constructed between 1988 and 2001 and had belonged to the portfolios of open-ended real estate funds Unilmmo: Deutschland and UniImmo: Europa for over 20 years in part.
Entering the Irish market: Union Investment acquires office complex in Dublin
Union Investment Real Estate GmbH has acquired the 4 + 5 Grand Canal Square office complex in Dublin for around EUR 230 million. Comprising two buildings with a total area of some 23,300 sq m, the property is fully let with an average remaining term of more than ten years. Designed by architect Daniel Libeskind and completed in 2009, the office complex has a BREEAM sustainability rating of “Excellent”.
Oxford Properties and Union Investment create 50:50 joint venture in London’s Watermark Place
Oxford Properties Group (‘Oxford’) and Hamburg-based Union Investment Real Estate GmbH (‘Union Investment’) have created a 50:50 joint-venture (the “JV”) regarding Watermark Place in London, with Oxford acting as asset manager to the JV. In parallel, the JV has refinanced the asset, raising a new 10-year £270 million debt facility from Pricoa Mortgage Capital. Union Investment will hold its 50 % interest for its open-ended real estate fund UniImmo: Europa.
4th hospitalityInside INVESTMENT BAROMETER Spring survey available
The continuing pressure on demand in the hotel market most likely motivates hoteliers and hotel property experts to diversify regionally in secondary and tertiary markets. New leaseholders and brands are less in demand, and a higher commitment in country markets with higher risks is definitely last on the list.
Union Investment acquires new Green Worx office building in Vienna from S+B Group and Raiffeisen Holding
Union Investment is seeking to benefit from the stability of the Viennese office market. The company recently agreed the acquisition of another new build in the Austrian capital, the Green Worx office property, which offers 16,277 sq m of rental space. Completed in 2013, the property will join the portfolio of open-ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Deutschland. The purchase price is around EUR 50 Million.
Union Investment taps into Houston as another fastgrowing US market opportunity for its real estate funds
Union Investment continues its strategy of investing in secondary markets with strong long term economic and demographic growth prospects. After Austin and Minneapolis, the Hamburg-based real estate investment manager has now entered a third US market outside of the traditional East and West coast investment regions in just 20 months. Union Investment has secured the 36-storey office property 1000 Main Street in Houston's central business district for Unilmmo: Europa.
Union Investment: Open-ended real estate fund for institutional investors grows to almost EUR 400 million
Union Investment's UniInstitutional German Real Estate fund has grown to some EUR 400 million within 24 months, enabling the institutional investors concerned to benefit from considerable diversification. The open-ended real estate fund was established at the end of 2012 and recently acquired its eighth and ninth properties with the purchase of Tübinger Carré in Stuttgart and Pergamon Palais in Berlin. A large proportion of the cash raised in the fourth subscription phase has thus already been invested in attractive properties.
Union Investment acquires shopping centre in Poland for institutional retail fund
Union Investment announces the acquisition of Sarni Stok shopping centre, Poland from the CBRE Property Fund Central Europe, managed by CBRE Global Investors. The property is the second foreign investment for UII Shopping Nr. 1 retail property fund.
Union Investment sells Laim 290 office building in Munich to LaSalle
Union Investment has sold the Laim 290 office building in Munich, part of its Unilmmo: Deutschland fund, to LaSalle Investment Management Kapitalverwaltungsgesellschaft (LaSalle).The anchor tenant in the building, which was completed in 2008, is Bilfinger SE, occupying some 50 per cent of the total of approximately 10,381 sq of rental space. Laim 290 is ideally located for access to central Munich and the airport via Landsberger Strasse and the suburban rail Network.
Union Investment acquires shopping centre in Esslingen from Rockspring
Union Investment Real Estate GmbH is acquiring the Das ES! shopping centre in Esslingen from a fund managed by Rockspring Property Investment Managers. In doing so, the Hamburg-based real estate investment manager is adding a successful retail property to its existing EUR 6 billion shopping centre portfolio. Opened in October 2002, Das ES! enjoys strong footfall, with 6.5 million people visiting the shopping centre annually.
Union Investment acquires hotel and office complex in Vienna from S+B Gruppe AG
Union Investment has made its first acquisition outside Germany for its UII Hotel Nr. 1 special fund, buying the "ibis & ibis budget Wien Messe" complex in the Austrian capital. The property has a lettable area of 14,777 sq m, comprising 71 per cent hotel space and 21 per cent office space, plus 140 parking spaces. The developer is S+B Gamma Immobilienentwicklung GmbH, a subsidiary of S+B Gruppe AG and PBS Immobilienholding GmbH.
Union Investment acquires majority stake in Prague shopping centre Palladium
Union Investment has acquired a majority stake in the Palladium shopping centre in Prague for its open-ended real estate fund UniImmo: Deutschland by purchasing shares in a corresponding property company. Completed in October 2007 and boasting a gross floor area of 115,000 sq m, of which 41,000 sq m is dedicated to retail and 18,000 sq m to office use, the almost fully let Palladium is the largest shopping centre in Prague's central retail district.
Historically low interest rates cause further decline in real estate return expectations
• No evidence yet of shift to investments with significantly higher risk
• Core segment remains Europe’s safe harbour
• Letting markets in relatively good shape
• Investment Climate Index falls in Germany, France and the UK
• Core segment remains Europe’s safe harbour
• Letting markets in relatively good shape
• Investment Climate Index falls in Germany, France and the UK
Union Investment rejuvenates real estate fund portfolio
• Portfolio turnover in 2014 increased to 15 per cent of property assets
• Acquisition portfolio 11 years younger than sales portfolio
• Continuing strong activity on acquisition side at around EUR 2.5 Billion
• Acquisition portfolio 11 years younger than sales portfolio
• Continuing strong activity on acquisition side at around EUR 2.5 Billion
...
PropTech Innovation Award: Every finalist a winner
Some 150 applicants from 29 countries entered the international PropTech Innovation Award this year. 18 finalists from Germany, Switzerland, Israel, the UK, Finland and Slovenia were selected by the jury. This year, however, there will be no pitches. The EUR 40,000 prize money will be divided equally among the finalists.
Union Investment acquires office block in City of London from Goldman Sachs and Greycoat
Union Investment has acquired Procession House at 55 Ludgate Hill, London from Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division and British developer Greycoat.
Union Investment acquires planned micro-living properties in Düsseldorf and Hamburg
Union Investment has acquired two planned micro-living properties in Düsseldorf and Hamburg comprising a total of 250 apartments. They are the sixth and seventh acquisitions for the Urban Living Nr. 1 special fund, which remains on a growth trajectory.
Union Investment acquires planned micro-living properties in Düsseldorf and Hamburg
Union Investment has acquired two planned micro-living properties in Düsseldorf and Hamburg comprising a total of 250 apartments. They are the sixth and seventh acquisitions for the Urban Living Nr. 1 special fund, which remains on a growth trajectory.
Union Investment acquires planned micro-living properties in Düsseldorf and Hamburg
Union Investment has acquired two planned micro-living properties in Düsseldorf and Hamburg comprising a total of 250 apartments. They are the sixth and seventh acquisitions for the Urban Living Nr. 1 special fund, which remains on a growth trajectory.
The First Store by ALEXA retail competition enters its third round, this time with an entirely new concept
After two editions as an open competition, it will be now run in cooperation with Deutsche POP. First Store by ALEXA as Academy Edition will be open exclusively to students of this creative academy.
