Sofidy, acting on behalf of SCPI Sofidy Europe Invest, announces the acquisition of a mixed-use building located at 121 St. Jacobsstraat, in the city centre of Utrecht, one of the most dynamic cities in the Netherlands. The transaction reflects Sofidy Europe Invest’s strategy of investing in high-quality real estate assets in major European cities. This latest investment also forms part of a sustainability and resilience strategy, in line with the SCPI’s ESG commitments.
The building is in a premium location, just 600m from Utrecht Central, the country's busiest railway station with 228,000 passengers per day, and 200m from the pedestrianised historic centre and the Hoog Catharijne shopping mall. This strategic location combined with a scarcity of high-quality properties in this area, guarantees strong rental demand.
The 4,040m² building, spread over six levels, was completely renovated between 2019 and 2021 to provide for new uses by tenants. It has bright and modular office spaces, a rooftop space and retail space on the ground floor, creating a mix of uses within the asset. It is currently occupied by top tenants such as Regus, Coolblue (Dutch leader in energy optimisation), Morgan Recruitment Group, and Bever (outdoor wear and equipment brand) on the ground floor.
The asset also meets the highest current sustainability standards with an A++ energy label and solar panels installed. It also has the potential for transformation into housing, in accordance with local urban planning guidelines.
Julien Bouchet, Senior Investment Manager of Sofidy, said: “This acquisition illustrates our strategy of targeting assets located in leading European cities with strong economic and demographic trends while respecting the principles of sustainability and granularity. Utrecht is a fast-growing market, where rental demand structurally outstrips supply, particularly in high-quality central locations.”
For this transaction, Sofidy was advised by Prime Realty Partners (Diederick Vrijenhoek), Lexence (lawyers) and Artelia (technical advisor).
Image source - Silbury.
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