Garbe Industrial Real Estate GmbH and its joint venture partner, Logicenters, which is Nrep's development and management platform for logistics properties, are working together to revitalize and develop brownfield sites. They have recently acquired a 20,000m2 plot of land in the Swabian town of Leipheim, located around 30km northeast of Ulm in Bavaria. The plan is to build an 11,600m2 logistics centre on this site, with construction scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2025. The investment volume for this project is estimated to be c. €17m.
This property is part of a former airbase, and remnants of the former runway and individual buildings still exist as reminders of its military use. After the airport ceased operation, the area was transformed into the 112-ha inter-municipal industrial estate 'Areal Pro'.
“We believe that the revitalisation of brownfield sites has by far the greatest potential for future-oriented project developments. Especially in densely populated or unusual locations, this will be the only way for new and interesting projects,” emphasises Adrian Zellner, Member of the Executive Board of Garbe Industrial Real Estate.
Before construction can begin, the old foundations and buildings must be demolished, and the demolition material must be disposed of properly.
The planned new building will have a hall area of around 10,400m2. Additionally, there will be 1,200m2 for offices, social rooms, and other usable space on intermediate levels. The property will have ten dock levellers and a sectional door at ground level. There will be parking spaces for 40 cars and two trucks in the outdoor area. Completion is planned for the second quarter of 2026.
The property is being developed according to current ESG criteria.
"Brownfields are the future because we are making sealed areas usable again and upgrading them in line with modern sustainability standards," said Martin Ohly, General Manager of Logicenters Germany, a company of Nrep.
The new building will incorporate renewable energy technologies, including a photovoltaic system on the roof capable of generating up to one megawatt of peak output. Climate-friendly air heat pumps will be used to heat the building instead of fossil fuels. The building will also feature energy-efficient LED lighting. The goal is to achieve Gold Standard certification from the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) through a joint venture between Garbe Industrial Real Estate and Logicenters.
The industrial estate is conveniently located near the A-8 motorway, providing easy access to Ulm, Stuttgart, Augsburg, and Munich. The Leipheim junction is about 3km away, and the Ulm/Elchingen motorway junction is around 11km away, connecting to the A-7 motorway. The property service provider CBRE facilitated the site purchase.
Written by Leon Goldwater for Europe Real Estate.
Image Source - AD HOC.
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