Catalyst Capital has completed the acquisition of €200m of assets in Germany, France and Poland for its new Catalyst Core Plus European Property Fund (CCPEPF), a €1bn “evergreen” real estate fund. Catalyst has made six investments in Frankfurt, Berlin, Leipzig, Paris, Wroclaw and three new autobahn service stations in Germany, with lease lengths ranging between five and 25 years.
In Frankfurt, Catalyst has acquired the Fiat Campus in Frankfurt’s Eastend, close to the new European Central Bank headquarters, from LaSalle Investment Management at a net initial yield of 6.0%. The property at Hanauer Landstrasse comprises 13,000 m² of space, of which 7,500 m² is to be re-let after refurbishment works have been completed.
In Berlin, the company has acquired a cash and carry market in Ahrensfelde from a group of investors represented by Odyssey Real Estate at a net initial yield of 6.0%. The property totals 15,500 m² and is fully let to a self-service wholesaler Selgros.
In Leipzig, Catalyst has acquired Pösna Park, an established 57,000m² retail park, at a net initial yield of 6.3%. Almost 60 tenants occupy the park, including well-known anchor tenants, Kaufland, Sconto, Netto, Deichmann and DM. The two main tenants, Kaufland and Sconto, have extended their leases until 2032 and 2028 respectively, providing a stable and long-term cash flow.
In Paris, Catalyst has acquired the A City building in Rueil-Malmaison, one of the key submarkets of La Défense, from Valream at a net initial yield of 6.3%. The complex, totalling 8,500 m², comprises a fully-refurbished, multi-let office building and a 22-unit convenience shopping mall and is 97% let.
In Wroclaw, Catalyst has bought Nobilis Business House from Echo Investment at a net initial yield of 6.7%. The 16,900 m² building, located on Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie street in Wrocław, was completed in late 2016 and is 75% let to high-quality companies such as Onet Group, City Space, PPG Deco, Smith & Nephew and a Synexus medical centre. Catalyst Capital has paid an initial €36m.
The sixth investment, the three service stations in Germany, are located in Zeven-Elsdorf, Ratingen and Pilsting and have been acquired at a net initial yield of 5.5%. Each asset is let on a 25-year lease to Tank & Rast, the leading service station operator in Germany with around 360 petrol filling stations and 410 service areas.
Kean Hird, partner of Catalyst and the manager of the fund, said: “All six investments provide stable, long-term income, which will generate attractive returns for our investors. We were able to acquire them within a few months of the first close of the fund because of our network of on-the-ground teams across Europe and understanding of local European markets”.
