French asset manager Amundi Immobilier has joined forces with peer Primonial REIM to acquire the landmark Hekla office tower project in Paris' business district of La Défense from developer Hines and co-owner AG Real Estate.
Designed by Jean Nouvel, the 48-story, 76,000-m2 tower was sold in a forward purchase agreement and is expected to be delivered in early 2022. Financial details were not disclosed.
Located 300 metres from the transport hub, Hekla will be an integral part of the future public spaces on the Rose de Cherbourg site. Developed by Epadesa, this new neighborhood will create a place for living, animated by the inclusion of a suspended pedestrian walkway inspired by New York’s High Line.
Hekla will rise to a height of 220 meters and will aim for the highest levels of HEQ, LEED, BREEAM, Effinergie, and WELL certification.
Pedro Antonio Arias, Amundi's director of Real and Alternative Assets and Laurent Fléchet, CEO of Primonial REIM said: 'This asset, located in the heart of the La Défense business district, will benefit from the best environmental promises, consolidating Amundi Immobilier and Primonial REIM's commitment to the issue.'
'A few days before the creation of the Paris La Défense Local Public Development Authority, created by the fusion of Epadesa and Defacto, the signature of the sales agreement for the Hekla tower will strongly contribute to reinforcing the appeal of Paris La Défense,' added Jean-Claude Gaillot, Epadesa's Chief Executive Officer.
Amundi Immobilier and Primonial REIM were represented by Cheuvreux notary office, the Gide Loyrette Nouel legal practice, and Nox engineering consultants. Hines and AG Real Estate were advised by the Lasaygues notary office, Lacourte Raquin Tatar, and Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel. The financing of the project and provision of the guarantees was assumed by CACIB. Epadesa was assisted by the Bouvat-Martin, Benichou et Escargueil-Vanderheyden notary office.
NOW Building
Amundi Real Estate also recently acquired the Now Building in Hoofddorp, a business district near Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, from Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI).
Amundi was acting forits managed funds.
NOW Building is a multi-tenant office building comprising 6,134 m2 over floor floors at Taurusavenue at office park Beukenhorst-Zuid in Hoofddorp. The tenants with long-term leases are Macaw Netherlands, Sony Benelux, Delta Development Group and SwissRE. There is also an underground car park with 136 parking spaces and a parking for bicycles and motorbikes.
The property was completed last May and ASI acquired it the following June for more than €21 mln.
ASI was advised by law firm Loyens & Loeff in collaboration with DLA Piper. Royal HaskoningDHV was responsible for technical advice and international real estate advisor Cushman & Wakefield supervised the sale commercially. The buyer was legally advised by Houthoff, technically by CBRE and commercially by L'Etoille Properties.
The transaction follows on from Amundi's joint venture acquisition of Uber's European headquarters in Amsterdam.
