InfraRed is also pleased to announce a further letting to consulting company LiNKiT Consulting GmbH that will occupy the 34th floor. Together with two further lease extensions InfraRed has achieved c.8000sqm of lettings since the acquisition of the Tower. All lettings were in line with market rents (ERV).
InfraRed acquired the Tower in October 2011 in a joint venture with the German real estate company Art-Invest Real Estate. The asset encompasses a 43-storey tower built in 2001 (designed by Jean Nouvel) comprising 26,500 sqm of office space and the adjacent 220-bedroom 4-star NH Hotel. The buildings are located in the Cologne ‘Media Park’ within the core of the City.
Cologne is Germany’s fourth largest city with a large and growing population of over one million. The diversity of its industries which include trade, insurance, media, chemicals as well as government is a key attraction for real estate investment.
Joram Szerkowski, responsible for real estate deal origination in Germany at InfraRed, commented, “The early letting to IQWiG has been key in providing strong, timely proof of the substantial value-add potential we identified in the Cologne Tower. Together with the other early lettings we have significantly reduced the risk profile of this asset within only a short time period after the acquisition and look forward to continuing this positive and dynamic trend”.
END.
Contact InfraRed:
Tulchan Communications
Ed Orlebar/Rebecca Scott+44(0)20 73534200
E-Mail: eorlebar@tulchangroup.com/rscott@tulchangroup.com
Notes to Editors
InfraRed Capital Partners Ltd (“InfraRed”) (www.ircp.com)
InfraRed is an independent investment firm specialising in the infrastructure and real estate asset classes. It invests in projects seeking to add value through active management. InfraRed manages in excess of $5bn of equity capital in specialist funds that invest into real estate and infrastructure assets which InfraRed develops and operates across the globe. Its approximately 80 staff are deployed across offices in London, Hong Kong, New York and Paris.
InfraRed’s European real estate team focuses primarily on value-added real estate projects in target countries throughout Europe. Focus sectors are retail, industrial and offices. The U.K. and Germany are core markets for the team’s investment activity.
Following the completion of a spin-out from HSBC in April 2011 the business is owned by its management team with HSBC remaining a significant minority shareholder. Since business inception over 15 years ago the team has launched 11 funds, six of which have been completely or materially realised. The business also listed an infrastructure investment company (HICL.L) on the London Stock Exchange. InfraRed Capital Partners Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, is the manager of InfraRed’s funds.
Art-Invest Real Estate
Art-Invest Real Estate is a property investment-, development- and asset management company based in Cologne. It invests alongside a select group of institutional investors and family offices. Art-Invest Real Estate pursues a consistent ‘manage to core’ strategy, focusing on the repositioning of well-located commercial real estate in major German cities with upside potential. Art-Invest Real Estate creates value by identifying alternative uses, improving the marketability or developing, thus creating high quality, investment grade assets.